
Class 
Book_ 



COPYRIGHT DEPOSIT 




WILLIAM M. COCKRUM 



PIONEER 

History of Indiana 



Including 



Stories^ Incidents and Customs of the 
Early Settlers . 



By 



COL. WILLIAM M. COCKRUM 




Oakland City, Indiana 

PRESS OF OAKLAND CITY JOURNAL 

1907 






UB8ARY ef CONGRESS 

TwoCvptw Rtcwvec 

DEC 23 1907 

Copyrif nt tiMry 

OLASS 4 XXC. No, 

COPY B. 



Entered according to an Act of Congreu in the 
year 1907 

By William M, Cockrom 
in the office of the Librarian of Congress at Wash- 
ington, D. C. All rights reserved. 



ro MT JVIFE, 

Who for fifty years has been my 
faithful partner and true help- 
matCy this book is affectionately 
dedicated by THE A UTHOR. 



PREFACE. 



In fhis volume man}- of the earl}- happening's that oc- 
•curred during the settling- of Indiana are given for the first 
time and if this opportunit}' were not improved, a larg-e 
amount of interesting histor)' of our state would be lost. 

The writer claims no special credit for securing- this his- 
tor}' as it has been a pleasing task, self assigned. If the 
reader shall gain as much satisfaction from reading this vol- 
ume as the author has from gathering the data from which 
to compile it, he will be ampl)- repaid for the few hours he 
is so engaged. 

It is ver}' gratifying to be able to go back to the settling 
•of Indiana and tell about the brave men and women who first 
invaded its wildness and from whom sprang the hard}- and 
superior race of people in all stations of life that now live 
within its confines. 

For fift}' years the data for this volume has been collect- 
ing: From personal acquaintance with the pioneers, from a 
history of incidents transmitted from parents to children and 
from tradition that is accepted as reliable. 

From the above three sources it is believed that the truest 
history of the people of that early date, their manners and 
customs, the dangers they encountered from the Indians, the 
hunting for game and the many terrible encounters with sav- 
age beasts, has been secured. 

In submitting this work to the public the author wishes 
here to acknowledge his indebtedness to those who aided him 
in his researches and made the existence of this volume pos- 
sible. These favors have come from all parts of thecountr} — 
from historical societies, public libraries and men in official 
positions. The names of those giving the most valued assist- 
ance is hexeb}' given. 



8 PIONEER HISTORY OP INDIANA. 

The City Library of Quebec and the librarian of Public 
Library of Montreal, Canada. 

The State Library of Indianapolis and the assistant li- 
brarian, Miss Jennie M. Elrod. 

The Hon. Henry S. Lane, when U. S. Senator from In- 
diana, for favors shown me in the office of Public Documents 
in Washington. 

The Hon. Oliver P. Morton for his aid in securing a per- 
mit to examine official papers in the War Department. 

The Hon. Daniel S. Lamont, Ex-Secretary of War, for 
favors shown me in the War Department. 

Gen. Lew Wallace for valuable suggestions. 

Gen. Russel A. Alger, Ex-Secretary of War, for a copy 
of official documents. 

Hon. Benjamin Harrison, Ex-President of the United 
States, for the use of his notes on the unpublished history of 
Gen. William Henry Harrison. 

Gen. John I. Nealy for manuscript and data. 

Joseph P. McClure for incidents of pioneer history. 

David Johnston for the data for many hunting and excit- 
ing experiences in the early days of Indiana. 

Woolsey Pride, Jr., for the history of his father's settling 
at White Oak Springs, near Petersburg, Indiana. 

Captain Graham, of near Corydon, Indiana, for the data 
for many pioneer incidents. 

Hon. Conrad Baker, Ex-Governor of Indiana, for data. 

Gen. Joseph Lane, Ex-Governor of Oregon, for interest- 
ing letters. 

Captain A. Miler for many interesting incidents. 

Col. James G. Jones and Hon. A. L. Robinson, of Evans- 
ville, Indiana, for letters corroborating underground railroad 
incidents. 

John T. Hanover, of "Freedmans Bureau," for valuable 
papers in making underground railroad chapter. 

Dr. John W. Posey for data on the kidnapping of free 
negroes. 

Rev. D. B. Montgomery for especial favors in data and 
manuscripts of the pioneer days of Indiana. 



PIONEER HISTORY OF INDIANA. 9 

Charles C. Waters for manuscript and data. 

Jacob W. Hargrove for manuscript. 

Delome's unpublished manuscript of his twenty-seven 
years among various Indian tribes in what is now the State 
of Indiana. 

John B. Dillon's "History of Indiana." 

John P. Dunn Jr.'s, "History of Indiana." 

President Theodore Roosevelt's "Winning of the West." 

Goodrich's "History of Indiana." 

Mrs. Ella C. Wheatley for valuable assistance in prepar- 
ing this work. 

William Mc Adams' "Record of Ancient Races. 

Dr. J. R. Adams, of Petersburg, Indiana, for valuable 
data. 

Hon. Oliver H. Smith for valuable assistance. 

Beard's "Battle of Tippecanoe." 

Prof. W. D. Pence, Purdue University. 

Dr. George C. Mason for data. 

E. C. Farmer for data. 

Rev. W. P. Dearing for assistance. 



Crawfordsville, Indiana, 

April 12, 1902. 
Col. W. M. Cockrum, 

Oakland Cit}', Indiana. 
My dear Sir and Companion: 

Your letter of the 8th inst. is received. 

There is no rule in literar)' work that two want to follow 
in the same way. Writing on any subject, they might differ 
in their way of expression; but there is one rule, as you sug- 
gest, that is safe for all to follow — have your data well pre- 
pared and follow closely the subject. 

I am pleased to learn that you have been securing data 
for more than fifty years, and intend writing a Pioneer His- 
tory of Southern Indiana, in which you will give the old 
heroes that drove the Indians away and blazed the pathway 
for our greatness, a deserving tribute for their noble work. 

Why not extend your boundary and include the State for 
3'our field of labor? Your lament that the opportunity for a 
finished education in your day was so limited that you doubt 
your ability to give the smooth and pleasing touch to your 
writing that is needed in a book to be read by the cultured 
people of this date, is not well taken. Let me suggest that 
your amanuensis may have all that is required, but good 
horse sense is not in the market. 

Your friend, 

Lew Wallace. 



TABLE OF CONTENTS. 



General Lew Wallace's Letter Page 10 

CHAPTER L 

French Colonization of Indiana. Explorations. Settlements. 
Trading Stations. Forts. Relations with Indians. 
Post Vincennes. Treatment of English Explorers. 
Pontiac Pages 16-23 

CHAPTER II. 
Geokge Rogers Clakk and the English. 
Treatment of Inhabitants of the Northwest b)- the English 
and Their Indian Allies. Clark's Resolve to Reduce the 
Forts. His Alliance With the French Inhabitants. 
Reduction of Fort Kaskaskia. Reduction of Post Vin- 
cennes. Vincennes Recaptured b)- Lieutenant Governor 
Hamilton. Attempt of Hamilton to Dislodge Clark and 
Drive Him From the Territory. Capture of Francis 
Vigo. Clark's March from Kaskaskia to Vincennes. 
Capture of Vincennes. Regaining the Confidence of the 
Indians, Later Achievements and Failures of Clark. 
Pages 24-()8 

CHAPTER III. 

The Territory Captured by General Clark from 1779 

TO THE Organization of the Northwest Territory. 

Qeneral Todd's Proclamation. The Court of Vincennes. 
Virginia Cedes Northwest Possessions to the United 
States. Town of Clarksville Laid Off. Deed of Cession. 
Ordinance of 1787 Pages ()')-75 

CHAPTER IV. 
The Northwest Territory Organized. Laws Governing It. 



12 PIONEER HISTORY OF INDIANA. 

Governor St. Clair and the Indians. Militia Established 
and Civil and Militar}' Officers Appointed. Laws Adopt- 
ed at Vincennes. Defeat of St. Clair's Army by the 
Indians. General Wayne's Victory Near the Maumee. 

First Territorial Legislature Pages 76-104 

CHAPTER V. 
Prisoners Recaptured from the Indians. Terrible Fighting 
Around the Place Where Owensville, Indiana, Now 
Stands Pages 105-129 

CHAPTER VI. 
Organization of Indiana Territory. William Henry Har- 
rison, Governor. General Gibson, Secretary. Territor- 
ial Judges Appointed. Slavery Question. Laws of In- 
denture. Specimens of Indenture Papers. .Pages 130-148 

CHAPTER VII. 
Settlement of Southern Indiana. The Cruelty of the 
French Pages 149-152 

CHAPTER VIII. 

The Pioneer. Character. Hardships. Routes Followed^ 

Settlements. Food. Education. Customs. Thrilling 

and Amusing Incidents. Weddings. Work. Dress. 

Crude Manufactures Pages 153-196 

CHAPTER IX. 
Land Claims and Territorial Affairs. Indian Depredations. 
Letters of Instruction and Orders to Captain William 
Hargrove. Burning of an Indian Town Near Owens- 
ville. Division of Indiana Territory. Elections. Land 
Offices Pages 197-236 

CHAPTER X. 
The Battle of Tippecanoe. Importance of the Victory^ 
Cause of Battle. The Principal Contestants. Negotia- 
tions for Peace. Collecting Army at Vincennes. Move- 
ment of Army From Vincennes. Fort Harrison Estab- 
lished. Advance on Prophet's Town. Encampment. 
The Battle. Gk)vernor Harrison's Report of the Battle^ 



PIONEER HISTORY OF INDIANA. 13 

Incidents of the Battle. Resolutions Adopted by Terri- 
torial Legislature. Roll of the Army that Fought at 
Tippecanoe Pages 237-308 

CHAPTER XI. 
Indiana's Tribute to Kentucky Pages 309-310 

CHAPTER XII, 
Further History of Tecumseh and the Prophet . . Pages 311-317 

CHAPTER XIII. 
Pioneer Industries. 
Crude Farming Implements. Cooking. Milling. Flax In- 
dustry. Loom. Whipsaw, Shoe Making. Rope Walk. 
Bee Hunting. Witchcraft Pages 318-341 

CHAPTER XIV. 

Amusements and Sports of the Early Pioneers. .Pages 343-344 

CHAPTER XV. 

Indiana During the War of 1812. 

Pigeon Roost Massacre. Attack on Fort Harrison. General 
Disturbance Among the Indians. General Hopkins Re- 
port to the Governor. Expeditions Against the Indians. 
Delaware Indians Removed to Ohio. General Gibson's 
Message to House of Representatives in 1813. Territor- 
ial Government Moved From Vincennes to Corydon. 
Miss McMurtne's Statement. Treaty of Friendship and 
Alliance With the Indians. General John Gibson. Gov- 
ernor Thomas Posey. Logan, the Indian Chief. Terri- 
tory Laid Off Into Five Districts. Judicial System Im- 
proved. Charters Granted to Banks. Rappites at Har- 
mony. New Harmony Sold to Robert Owens 

Pages 345-387 

CHAPTER XVI. 
Indiana Becomes a State 
Constitution Adopted. Officers Selected. Governor Jennings' 
First Message. Boundary and Area of State. Survey. 
Taxes. Internal Improvements. Purchase of Indian 



14 PIONKER HISTORY OF INDIANA. 

Claims. Counties Organized. Ague and other Illness. 
Failure of State Banks. William Hendrick elected Gov- 

—- ernor. Site of Indianapolis chosen for Capital. Land 
Sharks. Indianians called "Hoosiers". Counties Organ- 
ized. White men executed for Murder of Indians. Let- 
ter from Oliver H. Smith. Improvements recommended 

b}^ Governors Hendricks and Ray Pages 388-426. 

CHAPTER XVII. i 

Animals of Early Indiana. 

Game Animals. Game Birds. Ferocious Animals. Fur- 

Beaiing Animals. Birds of Pre}' Pages 427-457. 

CHAPTER XVIII. 
Schools of Early Indiana. 

Houses. Books. Danger from Wild Animals. Opposition 

to Free Schools Pages 458-468. 

CHAPTER XIX. 

The Noble Act of returning soldiers of the Battle of Tippe- 
canoe. Aaron Burr's Conspiracy and the misfortunes 
attending it. Difficulty of procuring salt and desperate 
battle with two Bears. Incidents of Burr's Conspiracy. 
Governor Jennings' Temperance Lecture. Battle be- 
tween two bears and two panthers. Panthers killing In- 
dians. A Hermit. Panthers kill a man and bo}'. Early 
days near Petersburg, Indiana. Panthers killing one 
and desperately wounding another man of a surveying 
parly. Wild Hogs. Shooting matches. Earl}^ Days in 
Dubois Count}', Indiana. ' Killing of eight Indians. 
Hunting. Early days near Sprinklesburg, now New- 
burg, Warrick County. I.idiana. A young woman killed 
by panthers. Hunting Wolves. Hunting Deer. An 
amusing incident of an Irishman and the hornet's nest 
Pages 469-507. 

CHAPTER XX. 
Flat Boating Pages 508-510. 

CHAPTER XXL 
General Joseph Lane. A Short Biography. Letters 



PIONEER HISTORY OF INDIANA. 15 

Patres 511-516. 

CHAPTER XXII. 
The State Bank and Other Interesting Matter. Counties 
Organized. Michigan's Attempted Theft. Speech of 
Hon. Isaac Montgomery. Land Sharks. Land Specu- 
lators. Brave Women Pages 517-532 

CHAPTER XXIII. 
Internal Improvements. 
Canals. Railroads. State Debt. Turnpike Roads. Wabash 
Rapids. Pottowattamie and Miami Indians Removed 
From the State Pages 533-542 

CHAPTER XXIV. 
Penal, Benevolent and Educational Institutions. 
State Prison. Asylum for Deaf and Dumb. Asylum for 
Blind. Hospital for the Insane. State Universities. 
State Library Pages 543-548 

CHAPTER XXV. 
The Mexican War. 

Indiana in the Mexican War Pages 549-554 

• CHAPTER XXVI. 

Indian Barbarity and the Prodigal's Return. This chapter 
is given to show one of many spies that the Anti-Slavery 

people had on all strangers during the fifties 

Pages 555-558 

CHAPTER XXVII. 

The Pvxperience of Two Young Boys With Two Bear Cubs. 
The Amusing Story of How Hogs Were Induced to Re- 
turn to Their Own Range Pages 559-561 

CHAPTER XXVIII. 

Kidnapping Free Negroes. Kidnapping of Reube at Prince- 
ton. Liberating two negroes near Princeton, Indiana. 
Kidnapping two free negroes three miles west of Prince- 
ton. Attempt to kidnap a Barber at Petersburg, In- 



16 PIONEER HISTOSY OF INDIANA. 

diana. Several attempts to kidnap negroes. Dr. John 
W. Posey and Rev. Eldridge Hopkins liberating: two kid- 
naped negroes. A slave hunt at Kirk's Mills Bridge in 
Gibson County. An attempt to catch runaway negroes 
ending in a desperate battle with wild hogs. Jerry Sul- 
livan Raid at Dongola Bridge. Kidnapping the Gothard 
Boys. Rev. Hiram Hunter relieving kidnaped negroes 
Pages 562-597. 

CHAPTER XXIX. 
Underground Railroad. 
Fug-itive Slave Law. Anti-Slavery Leag-ue. Routes of Fu- 
gitive Slaves. Interesting Letters. Rev. T. B. McCor- 
mick Pages 608-619 

CHAPTER XXX. 

Indian Religion Pages 620-622. 

CHAPTER XXXI. 
The Mound Builders. 
Age of Mounds. Workmanship of Builders. The Tradition 
of the Piassa. Remains. Difference between Mound 
Builders and Indians Pages 623-632. 



CHAPTER I 



FRENCH COLONIZATION IN INDIANA. 



Explorations — Settlements — Trading Stations — Forts 
— Relations With Indians — Post Vincennes — Treat- 
ment of'sEnglish Explorers — Pontiac. 



The French, who first settled Canada and founded Que- 
bec in 1608, were a ver}- restless, energetic people. The}' 
were rovers and soon making- friends with the Indians, made 
long journeys with them to the south and west. How far 
the}' went on these excursions is not known, but they contin- 
ually advanced their settlement in these directions. 

During the fifty years following the founding of Quebec, 
they had settled a large section of the country bordering on 
the Great Lakes. Whether any of these rovers, during their 
many expeditions, up to 1650, paddled their canoes along the 
rivers of Indiana is unknown. Who was the first man to ex- 
plore the wildness of our State or when that date was, are 
unsolved questions that will remain hidden in the archives of 
the Great Builder of Worlds. They are (juestions of no real 
merit and only interest those who are sticklers for exactness 
in regard to the minute things which happened more than 
two and a half centuries ago in the wilds of North America. 
The data that is known from accepted tradition and written 
history, carries us back far enough into the dark ages of this 
country to enable us to give such credit due to those who did 
explore the rivers, lakes and wooded hills of Indiana as will 
be of interest to those who are searching for the early history 
of our State. 



18 PIONEER HISTORY OF [INDIANA. 

The probabilities are that -at this early date, all the ter- 
ritory of Indiana was owned and controlled by the Miama 
Confederation of Indians, which comprised four tribes: The 
Twig-htwees, which was the Miami proper, the Weas or 
Oniatenons, the Shockeys and Pinkashaws, These Indians 
were of the Algonquin nation. At the junction of the St. 
Mary and St. Joseph rivers, where the Maumee river is 
formed and where the city of Ft. Wayne, Indiana, now 
stands, these Indians had their ancient capital, known in In- 
dian lang-uagfe as Kekiong-a, and as earlj- as 1676, the white 
people (French) had a fort near that place. From that sta- 
tion the French fur hunters passed up and down the Wabash, 
river and into the Louisiana possessions of France, securing- 
loads of furs. Returning up the Wabash they carried their 
bundles across the portage, thence down the Maumee to Lake 
Erie and to their trading stations in Canada where they were 
sold for such articles as the Indians and French hunters need- 
ed. In these excursions up and down the Wabash it is reas- 
onable to conclude that there were trading stations at diifer- 
ent points along their route where the fur was collected by 
traders. Vincennes, no doubt, was a trading station several 
years before the commencement of the eighteenth century. 

The traders coming on the Wabash connected with those 
coming on what was afterward known as the Old Vincennes 
and Clarksville trace. This crossed White river about fifteen 
miles southeast of Vincennes and crossed the Wabash river 
at Vincennes, then to Kaskaskia on the Mississippi river.^ 
One branch of this old traveled way ran from a point a little 
west of the place where it crossed the Little Wabash river 
south to the saline section of southern Illinois. No doubt 
this old road had been a main traveled way from east to west 
b)^ the Indians for ages before any white man ever saw- 
America. Along the route where it passed over Orange and 
Floyd Counties, ledges of rock that it crossed showed evi- 
dence of much wear, when first traveled over by the Whites. 
This could not have been possible without having been long 
used by the Indians, as they wore skin coverings on their 
feet. 



PIONEER HISTORY OF INDIANA. 19 

That Robert De LaSalle went uj) and down the Wabash 
and other Indiana rivers with a few white companions and 
Indian guides several years before the commencement of the 
eijfhteenth century, is an established fact. He was at 
Kekionjifa, the capital of the Miamas, about 1680 and no 
doubt was about the same time at the beautiful site where 
Vincennes now stands. That there was a rendezvous where 
these two ciiies stand for the collecting- of furs, as well as at 
Ouitanon during- La Salle's explorations, is generally conced- 
ed bv all who have searched for this early information. Dur- 
ing the twenty years that La Salle was engaged in his ex- 
plorations, from 1667 to 1687, he was very active in exploring 
all the regions where there were fur bearing animals. 

In lf>98 LaiMotte Cadillac, of New France, who was a 
far-seeing man and worked for his country's interests, re- 
turned to France. He went to see Count Pontchartrain and 
placed before him a map that he had made from notes and 
drawings made by LaSalle before he was assasinated, ex- 
plaining to the Count the new route that this map described. 
This route connecting New France and Louisiana by a reli- 
able waterwa}', extended from the Lakes up the Maumee . to 
the capital of the Miamis, now Ft. Wayne, Indiana, and 
thence by an easy portage to the headwaters of the Wabash, 
thence down that river, through the heart of a most valuable 
territory. Cadillac recommended to the Count that ii was 
best to locate a chain of forts along that route for defense if 
needed against any Indians that were or might become hos- 
a.e and against any expedition that the english might send 
oul from their North American possessions east of the Alle- 
ghany Mountains. He was so convincing in his presentation 
of the subject, that Count Pontchartrain%fell in with his 
views, granted his re(|uest and commissioned him to carry 
out the enterprise. The next year Detroit was selected as the 
place most suitable for a depot of military stores and a gen- 
eral trading post between the French and Indians on the 
southern borders of the Great Lakes. The next site selected 
was at the l;ead of the Maumee river, called Fort Miami; 
then canne one near th-' Wabash on the Wea i)rairie a few 



20 PIONEER HISTORY OF INDIANA. 

miles below where the cit}" of Lafa3^ette now stands, called 
Ouiatenon. The next trading- post was at the point where 
the cit}" of Vincennes now stands, afterwards called Post 
Vincennes. These forts were all completed b\' the year 1705. 

It has alwa3's been contended that the French Jesuits had 
mission stations at each of these places years before the}' be- 
came military posts. The garrisons which were located at 
each of these stations consisted of a few men, only suflicient 
in their strong log forts to insure a safe retreat for the fur 
traders and their families. 

In a few 3'ears a number of young French hunters gath- 
ered around these stations and it became common for them to 
marr_v the 3'oung Indian women, and in a comparativel}' short 
time there was a large number of half breeds in all the settled 
sections where the French lived. These hunters adopted the 
Indian customs and this intermarr3'ing of the two races was 
the real reason for the ver3- close alliance that existed be- 
tween the French and the Indians — "Blood is thicker than 
water." The two races of people became so closel3' akin that 
their interest became the same. The men put in most of 
their time during the hunting season in the forests hunting 
for game, or along the streams trapping for fur. These two 
occupations comprised all there was to be done. Each famil3' 
would work together and have a small field of corn. The 
women would plant and tend it. They cured and dried the 
meat that was killed b3' the hunters and prepared it for fu- 
ture use. The indolent habits of these Indians and mongrel 
French, around their homes were indulged in b3' all. When 
they sold their furs thev would invest the g-reater portion of 
it in villainous whiskev, that would make those drinking it 
craz3' drunk. During the orgies engaged in b3' these savage 
woodsmen, there would be man3' maimed and others dead be- 
fore the protracted "spree" was over. The traders who sold 
this injurious stuff, if the3' ever were honest, lost all thought 
of such an inconvenience when trading with the Indians and 
cheated them in every way that was possible. 

The Catholic missionaries who helped explore the North- 
west territory and labored to christianize the Indians, were 



PIONEER HISTORY OF INDIANA. 21 

earnest, devoted men who did all they could to better the 
condition of the Indians; but the evil effects of the poisonous 
li(luor sold them by the unscrupulous traders buying- their 
furs, neutralized all the ^ood done by the missionaries and 
kept these poor, unfortunate people in a degraded condition. 

The post where Vincennes now is was included in the 
district of Illinois, in the colony of Louisiana. Fort Chartres 
was the seat of government of the district, and New Orleans 
was the seat of government of the province. The post where 
Vincennes is located had different officials at an earl}' date 
who acted as commanders of the garrison. Among that num- 
ber was Francis Morgan De Vincennes, for whom the city of 
Vincennes was named. He remained its commander vmtil 
sometime in 173f>, when he was killed in battle with the 
Chickasaw Indians, For a long period before his death he 
was in command of all the French posts located in the part of 
Louisiana province that is now Indiana. 

In 173b, after the death of Vincennes, St. Ange was 
placed in command of the district of Illinois with his head- 
quarters at post Vincennes. This command was held by him 
until two 3'ears after the French had ceded their New France 
and a part of their Louisiana possession to England in 17()3. 
During the long period that France held control of the Ter- 
ritory that is now Indiana, the only improvement made by 
them was the building of a few block-houses and a few crude 
buildings around these stations. They did not attempt to 
clear up the country, open any highways or to make any per- 
manent improvements. Their business was hunting and 
trapping, and so the}- did not want the countr}- cleared as it 
would injure their occupation. 

During the one hundred and forty-three years between 
the time the English planted their colony at Jamestown, Vir- 
ginia, in 1607 until they attempted a plant a colony on the 
west side of the Alleghany mountains, in 1750, they developed 
into thirteen colonies and more than one million people living 
in the country along the Atlantic from the east side of Flor- 
ida to one hundred miles east of Boston, Massachusetts. 

During that long period of nearly one hundred and fifty 



22 PIONEER HISTORY OF INDIANA. 

3'ears, France and Eng-land were bus}' acquiring- territor}" and 
planting- colonies in their locations in North America. They 
each established missionary- stations to christianize the Ind- 
ians. There was great rivalry between catholic France and 
protestant England in their home countries. This feeling- 
was carried to the new world by the missionaries and used to 
embitter the feelings of the Indians in their respective col- 
onies against the other nations. Rev. Cotton Mather saj^s, 
in one of his works published the last of the seventeenth cen- 
tuTy, that a noted Indian chief informed a protestant minis- 
ter of Boston, that the French, when instructing- the Indians 
of his nation about the christian religion, told them that 
Jesus Christ was a Frenchman and that the English mur- 
dered him and that he arose from the dead, ascending up to 
heaven and all who would come into favor with Christ must 
help them in their war against the English. 

In 1752 M. Duquesne, governor of New France, ordered 
Georg-e Washington, who, with others, was attempting- to 
surve}- some lands near where the cit}' of Pittsburg, Penns3'l- 
vania, now stands to desist and leave the countr}-. Duquesne 
stated that the French government claimed all the territory 
bordering on the Ohio river and its many tributaries; basing- 
that claim on the discoveries made b}- LaSalle, in the latter 
part of the seventeenth centur}-. This was a beginning of 
the long and blood}- war between England's American col- 
oniies and the French inhabitants of New France. In many 
battles between the French and English people from 1752 to 
1763, for the supremacy in America, the French inhabitants 
w^ho occupied the different stations in what is now Indiana, 
knew but little about the war and there were many isolated 
stations in that territory whose people did not know until 
several years afterwards that France had ceded her North 
American possessions to England. 

After England came into possession of New France, the 
posts at Quebec, Montreal, Detroil and other stations in that 
territory established strong garrisons and adopted concilia- 
tory measures to win the Indians from their allegiance to 
France. This was hard to do. Pontiac, who would not give 



PIONEER HISTORY OF INDIANA.. 23 

up the hope that his {jfreat father, the kinjif of France, would 
again come into power, foujjfht man}' determined battles 
ag-ainst the English and would not be consoled. Finally he 
went to St. Louis to see his old friend, St. Ange, who coun- 
seled him to submit and give to England the same loN'ality 
that he had to France, telling him that France had not sold 
his land nor would the English take it away from him. 
This, in a measure, satisfied the great Pontiac and he went 
back home, coming down the Mississippi, up the Ohio and the 
Wabash. Telling his people that there would be no more 
war, he discarded his rank and went into private life as a 
hunter. 

A tradition that has come all the way down from genera- 
tion to generation was often told by the Indians, as follows: 
T^he great chief, Pontiac, in destroying bands of Indians op- 
posing his confederation, captured mostly women and child- 
ren who were sold by his agents to the resident French at 
the different posts, receiving in exchange guns, powder, lead, 
flints, tomahawks and blankets. He was killed b}' an assasin 
in the woods where East St. Louis now stands, because sev- 
eral years before, one of his bands of warriors had captured 
the women and children of a hunting party of Illinois Indians 
while they were drying meats and fish on the shores of lake 
Michigan and Pontiac ordered them all sold into slavery ex- 
cept a beautiful woman who was the wife of the chief of the 
hunting party, whom he took for his wife. While making a 
visit to St. Ange, at the village of St. Louis, this injured 
woman hunted up some of her kindred and assisted them in 
murdering Pontiac. The hold this great chief had on the 
people of his confederation was so firm that when jthey 
learned of his murder they brought on a war of extermina- 
tion and before it was over the Illinois Indians were nearly 
all killed. The beautiful woman who caused his death was 
re-captured and burned at the stake. 



CHAPTER II. 
GEORGE ROGERS CLARK AND THE ENGLISH. 



Treatment of Inhabitants of Northwest by English — 
Their Indian AlliEvS — Clark's Resolve to Reduce 
THE Forts — His Alliance with the French Inhab- 
itants — Reduction of Fort Kaskaskia — Reduction 
OF Post Vincennes — Captain Leonard Helm in Charge 
OF Vincennes — Vincennes Recaptured by Lieut. Gov- 
ernor Hamilton — Attempt of Hamilton to Dislodge 
Clark and Drive Him from the Territory — Capture 
of Francis Vigo — Clark's March from Kaskaskia to 
Vincennes — Capture of Vincennes — Regaining the 
Confidence of the Indians — Later achievements and 
- Failures of Clark. 



After reading Theodore Roosevelt's extensiv-e work on 
"Winning- the West," William E. English's elaborate histor}" 
of the conquest of the Northwest territory' and "The Life of 
George Rogers Clark" and John P. Dunn, Jr.'s "American 
Commonwealth," in which his Hannibal of the west is one of 
the man)" subjects treated b)' him in an entertaining and in- 
structive manner, it ma}' seem presumptuous to attempt 
to write about that subject, but to attempt to write a 
a pioneer history of Indiana without detJailirig" the heroic 
work of the hero of the Northwest territor)% would be like 
presenting the plaj- of "Hamlet" with Hamlet left out. 

George Rogers Clark was born in Albermarle count)', 
Virginia, November 19, 1752. In early life, he, like Wash- 
ington, was a surveyor, preparing himself for his work as a 
pioneer in a new country. In 1774 he served as an officer in 



PIONEER HISTORY OF INDIANA. 25 

Dunmore's war. In this way he first became acquainted with 
the western country. In 1775 he first visited Kentucky. At 
that time he was a Major. That fall he returned to Virg-inia 
and commenced making- preparations to move to the west the 
next spring-. Having moved and become a fixture there, he 
set about to aid the people and that section of the country to 
which he had attached himself. The advantages were ob- 
vious but its distance from the settled colonies and its ex- 
posure to hostile Indian tribes, rendered his occupation ver}' 
perilous. Clark was not an ordinary man — his mind was verv 
comprehensive. He knew no danger and was in full vigor of 
young manhood, with energ-y and determination that would 
surmount all difficulties. 

As we before noted, during all the time the French had 
control of the territory that is now Indiana they made no per- 
manent improvements, having^ intermarried and adopted the 
habits of the Indians, living- in bark and skin tepees. There 
were fewer than a hundred white families at post Vincennes* 
at Ouiatenon, Wea prairie, near Lafa3'ette, not more than 
fifteen or twenty families and at the Twightee village, now 
Ft. Wayne, Indiana, about ten families. 

From 1763 up to the time that Vincennes was captured 
by George Rogers Clark, the Eng-lish people established but 
few posts. They only strengthened those that the French 
had at Ft. Miami (Fort Waynej and the stations on the Wea 
prairies, Ouiatenon and post Vincennes. At these stations 
after the commencement of the Revolutionary war, there were 
British officers with a small command of British troops that 
gathered around them a band of Indians who were placed un- 
der partisan officers. These officers sent them out in detach- 
ments to prey upon the unsuspecting- settlers who were then 
upon the borders of the Ohio east of what afterward became 
Louisville, Kentucky, and into Virginia. Those from Vin- 
cennes directed their depredations princii)ally against the 
scattered settlements in northern Kentucky. This condition 
of thingi> continued until George Rogers Clark captured 
Lieutenant Governor Hamilton and his band of partisans at 
Vincennes in 177*i. 



26 PIONEER HISTORY OF INDIANA. 

After the treat)- between France and England, the British 
authorities, on coming into possession of that vast empire, did 
everything in their power to keep improvements from be- 
ing made. There were several propositions made to the 
king b}' his British subjects of England and b}- his Amer- 
ican colonies, who had means, for permission to make 
extensive improvements in the rich country bordering on 
the Ohio and Mississippi rivers, and to plant colonies in 
many places. All of these propositions were rejected. The 
few settlements which were made got along the best they 
could without anj' protection. This immense territory had 
Indian towns and villages scattered all over it. There were 
many desperadoes who left the colonies and made their homes 
among the Indians. In most these free-booters were fu- 
gitives from justice. 

When the war for independence came these desperate 
characters, through the influence of British agents, declared 
their allegiance to the British crown. They, through their 
intercourse with the Indians, did much to cause them to take 
up the hatchet against the Americans. These Indians and 
their partisan allies were organized into detachments to go 
to the western borders of the American colonies to murder, 
scalp and capture the inhabitants. As an inducement for 
them to do this bloody work, they were offered as a reward, 
one pound for children and women scalps or for them as 
prisoners; three pounds for a man's scalp, no reward for him as 
prisoner, and five pounds or twenty dollars for young and come- 
ly women prisoners. The white villians whg were with their 
Indian allies, were, if possible, more lost to human sympathy 
than the Indians. They seem to have lost all human feeling 
and would kill and destroy the helpless people whom they 
found on the borders. Ignoring all restraint they deliberate- 
ly went into the settlements where they had formerly lived 
and where their kith and kin resided. The pleading of the 
helpless and aged mother or the wail of the infant, seemed to 
be music to the ears of these brutal butchers. After killing 
and capturing all they could, they burned and destroyed the 
homes and such propert)^ as they could not carry away. Go- 



PIONEER HISTORY OF INDIANA. 27 

ing- back with their liendish Indian allies to the British posts, 
they were received with jjreat military parade as if they were 
returning- heroes from a great victory. They received the 
reward for their scalps and then five pounds for the young- 
women prisoners, who were turned over to the British officers 
and traders to a life of servitude. A thousand deaths would 
have been preferable to the violated and insulted womanhood 
that these poor helpless victims, mothers and fair daughters 
of Virginia and Kentucky had to indure. The continued 
raids made by the Indians and their more brutal allies, be- 
came so damaging to the exposed settlements that there was 
great danger of their being broken up. 

General Clark heard the appeal of these abused people 
and determined to avenge the many deaths caused by these 
barbarians. Having explored the rurrounding country of his 
new home and seen much of the Indians, he learned that the 
continual hostility that they showed toward the white people 
was caused by the British commanders and their emissaries 
at Detroit, Kaskaskia and Vincennes and that these posts 
would retard the settlement of the new country. He was 
convinced that the thing to do was to reduce these forts and 
made a statement of these facts to the Virginia legislature in 
December, 1777, outlining a plan for the successful accom- 
plishment of this purpose. It was approved by Governor 
Henry and his council, and twelve hundred pounds was ap- 
propriated for the expenses and four companies of men were 
raised for the expedition. In the spring of 1778 they rendez- 
voused at Corn Island in the Ohio river, opposite Louisville, 
Kentucky. The four companies were commanded by Cap- 
tains Joseph Bowman, Leonard Helm, John Montgomery and 
William Harrod. 

The memoirs of Clark say that — "On the 24th of June, 
1778, we left our camp and ran up the river for a mile in 
order to gain the main channel and shoot over the falls. I 
knew that spies were on the river below and that I might 
fool them, I resolved to march a part of the way by land. 
The force, after leaving such as were not able to stand the 
march with their companies, was very much reduced in num- 



28 PIONEER HISTORY OF INDIANA. 

bers and much smaller than I had expected. 

"Owing to the man}- difficulties I had to encounter, I 
found it was best to change m)' plans. As the post of Vin- 
cennes at that time had a considerable force of British and In- 
dians and an Indian town was adjoining, there were large num- 
bers of Indian warriers there all the time. I regarded Vin- 
cennes of much more importance than an^^ of the others, and 
had intended to attack it first, but finding I could not risk 
such a hazardous undertaking, I resolved to go to Kaskaskia. 
There were several villages along the Mississippi river but 
they were some distance apart. I had acquainted myself 
with the fact that the French inhabitants in these western 
villages had great influence over the Indians and were re- 
garded with much favor by them, as they had been their old 
allies in former war before the English captured the country 
from them; so I resolved, if possible, to attach the French to 
our interests. I had received a letter from Colonel Campbell, 
from Pittsburg, informing me that France had formed an 
alliance with the Colonies. As I intended to leave the Ohio 
at Ft. Massac, three leagues below the mouth of the Ten- 
nesee river, I landed on a small island in the mouth of that 
river in order to prepare for the march. A few days after 
starting a man named Duff and a party of hunters coming 
down the. river were stopped by our boats. They were for- 
merh' from the States and assured of their loyalty. They 
had been at Kaskaskia onl}- a short time before and could 
give us all the intelligence we wanted. They said that Gov- 
ernor Abbot had left Vincennes and gone to Detroit; that 
Mr. Rochblave commanded at Kaskaskia; that the militia was 
in good condition and would give us a warm reception if the}- 
knew of our coming; that spies were constantly kept on the 
Mississippi and all hunters, Indians and others, had orders to 
keep a close lookout for the rebels; that the fort was kept in 
good order and that the soldiers were much on parade. They 
had been taught that we were a lot of desperate men, especi- 
ally the Virginians. The hunters said if the place could be 
surprised, which they hoped we might do, the}- thought there 
would be no resistance and they hoped we would take them 



PIONEER HISTORY OF INDIANA. 29 

:and let them aid in the capture. This I concluded to do and 
they proved true men and valuable to the expedition. No part 
of the information pleased me more than that the inhabitants 
viewed us as more savajje than the Indians and I was deter- 
mined to improve upon this if I should be so fortunate as to 
get them into my possession. 

Havinjj everything ready, we moved down to a small 
gulley a short distance above Ft. Massac, in which we con- 
cealed our boats and started to march. On the fourth of July, 
in the evening, we got within a few miles of the town, where 
we la}' until nearlv dark. Keeping spies ahead we started on 
the march and took possession of a house where lived a large 
family, on the banks of the Kaskaskia river, less than a mile 
from the town. These people informed us that a short time 
before the militia had been under arms but had concluded 
that the cause of the alarm was without foundation; that 
there were a large number of men in town and that the Ind- 
ians had all gone and everything was quiet. Boats were soon 
secured and the command crossed the river. With one of the 
divisions I marched to the fort and ordered the other two 
divisions into different quarters of the town. If I met with 
no resistance, at a certain signal a general shout was to be 
^iven and certain parts were to be immediately possessed and 
the men of each detachment who could speak the French 
language, were to run through every street of the town and 
proclaim what had happened and inform the inhabitants that 
■every one who should come on the street would be shot down. 
This had the desired effect. In a very short time every ave- 
nue was guarded to prevent anyone from escaping to give the 
alarm to other villages. 

"I don't suppose that greater silence ever reigned among 
the inhabitants of a place than did over those of this post. 
Not a person was to be seen, not a word to be heard from 
them for some time; but the troops, by my order, kept up the 
the greatest noise all over the town during the whole night. 
In two hours time all the inhabitants were disarmed and in- 
formed that if they made an attem]it to escajie tlu-y would 
immediately be put to death. 



30 PIONEER HISTORY OF INDIANA. 

"The morning- after the capture a few of the principal 
men had been arrested and put in irons. Soon afterward M. 
Gibault, the village priest, accompanied b)' some aged 
citizens, waited on me and said the inhabitants expected to 
be separated, perhaps never to meet again, and the}' begged 
the privilege of again assembling in their church, there to 
take leave of each other. I told the priest that we had noth- 
ing against their religion; that that was a matter ihe Ameri- 
cans left ever}' man to settle with his God and that the peo- 
ple could assemble at their church if they wished to but they 
must not attempt to escape. Nearly all the population as- 
sembled at the church. After the meeting a deputation con- 
sisting of Gibault and several other persons waited on me and 
said that their present situation was the fate of war and that 
they could submit to the loss of property but they asked that 
they might noi be separated from their wives and children 
and that some clothes and provisions might be allowed for 
their support. I feigned supprise at this request and abruptly 
exclaimed — 'Do you mistake us for savages? I am almost 
certain you do, from you language. Do you think that the 
Americans intend to strip women and children; or take the 
bread out of their mouths? My countrymen disdain to make 
war on helpless innocents. It was to prevent the horrors of 
Indian butchery upon our wives and children that we have 
taken arms and penetrated this remote stronghold of British 
and Indian barbarity, and not the despicable prospects of 
plunder.' I further told them as the King of France had 
united his powerful arms with those of the Americans, the 
war in all probability would not continue long, but that the 
inhabitants of Kaskaskia were at liberty to take which side 
the pleased without the least danger either to their families, 
or their property, nor would their religion be any source of 
disagreement, as all religions were regarded with equal res- 
pect by the American lav.'s and that any insult offered to it 
would be immediately punished. Then I said — 'And now to 
prove my sincerity, you will inform your fellow citi;^ens that 
they are quite at liberty to conduct themselves as usual with- 
out the least apprehend- ion. 1 am now convinced from what 



PIONEER HISTORY OF INDIANA. 31 

I have learned since my arrival amon}]: you that you have 
been misinformed and prejudiced ayfainst us by the British 
officers and your friends who are in confinement shall be im- 
mediately released.' In a few minutes after the delivery of 
this speech, the yfloom that had rested on the minds of the 
inhabitants of Kaskaskia had passed away. Their arms were 
restored to them and a volunteer company of French Militia 
joined a detachment under Captain Bowman, when that officer 
was despatched to take possession of Cahokia. The inhabit- 
ants of this small villa^re readily took the oath of allej,aance 
to the State of Virj^inia." The news of the treaty of alliance 
between France and America and the influence of the ma.g- 
nanimous conduct of Clark, induced the French village to take 
the oath of allej^-iance to the State of Virjjfinia. 

The memoirs of Clark proceed — "The post of Vincennes 
was never out of my mind and from something: that I had 
learned, I had reason to suspect that M. Gibault, the priest, was 
favorable to the American interest, previous to our arrival in 
the country. He had g:reat influence over the people at this 
period and Post Vincennes was under his jurisdiction. I had 
no doubt of his loyalty to us and I had a long- conference with 
him about Post Vincennes. In answer to my questions he 
said — that he did not think it worth while for any military 
preparations to be made at the falls of Ohio, for the attack 
on Post Vincennes, although the place was strong and there 
was a great number of Indians in its neighborhood, who, to 
his knowledge, were generally at war; that Governor Abbot 
had a few weeks before, left the place for some business at 
Detroit. He expected when the inhabitants were fully ac- 
(luainted with what had passed at Illinois and the present 
hapi)iness of their friends and made fully acquainted with 
the nature of the war, that their sentiments would greatly 
change. He told me that his appearance would have great 
weight even among the savage and if it were agreeable to me 
he would take this business on himself, having no doubt of 
his being able to bring the place over to the American inter- 
ests without my being at the trouble of marching against it. 
As his business was altogether spiritual, he wished that an- 



32 PIONEER HISTORY OF INDIANA. 

other person mig-ht be charged with the temporal part of the 
embass3% but he said he would privately direct the whole and 
named Dr. Lafont as his associate. This was perfectly 
agreeable to what I had been secretly aiming at for several 
da3^s. The plan was immediatel}" settled and the two doctors 
with their attendant retinue, among whom I had a spy, set 
about preparing for the journey and on the fourteenth of 
July started with an address for the inhabitants of post Vin- 
cennes, authorizing them to garrison their town themselves, 
which was intended to convince them of the great confidence 
we put in them. All this had the desired effect. M. Gibault 
and his part}- arrived and after a day or two occupied in ex- 
plaining matters to the people, the}' all acceded to the pro- 
posal (except a few emissaries left by Governor Abbot, and 
they immediatel}' left the Country) and went in a body to the 
church, where the oath of allegiance was administered to 
them in a most solemn manner. An ofl&cer was selected, the 
fort garrisoned and the American flag displa)'ed, to the 
astonishment of the Indians, and everything settled far be3'ond 
our most sanguine hopes. The people here began to immed- 
iately put on a new face and talk in a different style and act 
as perfect freemen, with a garrison of their own and the 
United States at their elbow. Their language to the Indians 
was immediatel}' altered. They began as citizens of the 
United States and informed the Indians that their old father, 
the King of France, was come to life again and was mad at 
them for fighting for the English. They said they would 
advise the Indians to make peace with the Americans as soon 
as they could, otherwise they might expect the land to be 
very blood}'. 

"The Indians began to think very seriously throughout 
the country. This was now the kind of language they got 
from their ancient friends of the Wabash and Illinois. Through 
the means of their correspondence spreading among the nat- 
ions there was a decided change in all the neighbroring tribes 
of Indians. 

"M. Gibault and party accompanied by several gentlemen 
from post Vincennes, returned to Kaskaskia about the fourth 



PIONEER HISTORY OFlINDIANA. 33 

of Augfust with the joyful news. During- his absence on this 
business, which caused me great anxiet)', (for without that 
post all my work would have been in vain), I was engaged in 
regulating things in the Illinois. The reduction >]of these 
posts was the period of the enlistment of our troops. I was 
at a great loss at this time to determine how to act and how 
far I might venture to strain my authority. My instructions 
were silent on many important points as it was impossible to 
foresee the events that would take place. To abandon the 
country and all the prospects that opened to our view in the 
Indian department at this time, for want of instructions in 
certain cases, I thought would amount to a reflection on our 
Government as having no confidence in me and I resolved to 
usurp all the authority necessary to carry my points. I had 
the greater part of the troops reenlisted on a different estab- 
lishment; commissioned French officers to command a com- 
pany of young Frenchmen; established a garrison at Cahokia 
commanded by Captain Bowman and another at Kaskaskia 
commanded by Captain Williams. Post Vincennes remained 
in the situation as mentioned. I sent Captain John Mont- 
gomery to the Government with letters and dispatches and 
again turned my attention to Post Vincennes. I plainly saw 
that it would be highly necessary to have an American officer 
at that post and Captain Leonard Helm appeared to be suited 
in man}- ways for the position. He was past the meridian of 
life and well acquainted with Indian life and their disposi- 
tions. I sent him to command that post, also appointed him 
agent for the Indian afl^air of the Wabash. 

"About the middle of August Captain Helm started out to 
take possession of his new command. An Indian chief called 
"Tobacco's Son," a Piankashaw, at this time, was residing in 
the village adjoining Post Vincennes. He was called b}' the 
Indians — "The Grand Door of the Wabash;" and as there was 
nothing to be undertaken by the League on the Wabash with- 
out his consent, I discovered that to win him was of signal 
importance. I sent him a spirited compliment by M. Gibault 
— he returned it. I now, by Captain Helm, touched him on 
the same spring that I had the inhabitants and sent a speech 



34 PIONEER HISTORY OF INDIANA. 

with a belt of wampum, directing- Captain Helm how to man- 
age if the chief was pacifically inclined or otherwise. The 
Captain arrived safel}^ at Post Vincennes and was received 
with acclamation b}- the people. After the usual ceremony 
was over he sent for Grand Door and delivered m}^ letter to 
him. After having- it read he informed the Captain that he was 
happ5' to see him — one of Big Knife's chiefs — in this town. 
It was here that he had joined the English against him, but 
Grand Door confessed that he always thought they looked 
gloom3\ He said that as the letter was of great importance, 
he would not give an answer for some time; that he must 
collect his counsellors on the subject and was in hopes that 
the Captain would be patient. In a short time he put on all 
the courtly dignit}^ that he was master of and Captain Helm 
followed his example. It was several days before the busi- 
ness was finished as the proceedings were ver)' ceremonious. 

"At length the Captain was summoned to the Indian 
Council and informed by Tobacco that he had maturely con- 
sidered the case in hand and had had the nature of the war 
between us and the English explained to their satisfaction. 
As we spoke the same language and appeared to be the same 
people, he always thought that Big Knife was in the dark of 
it, but now that the sk}" was cleared up he found that Big- 
Knife was in the right. Perhaps, he said, if the English 
conquered ihev would serve them in the same manner that 
they intended to serve us. He told the Captain that his ideas 
were quite changed and that he would tell all the Red people 
on the Wabash to bloody the land no more for the English. 
He jumped up, struck his breast, called himself a man and a 
warrior; said that now he was a Big Knife and took Captain 
Helm b}' the hand. His example was followed by all present 
and the evening was spent in merriment. Thus ended this 
valuable negotiation and the saving of much blood. In a 
short time almost all of the various tribes of the ditferent 
nations on the Wabash as high up as the Ouiatenon, came to 
Post Vincennes and followed the example of the Grand Door 
chief, and as expresses were continually passing between Cap- 
tain Helm and myself, during the entire time of these treaties. 



PIONEER HISTORY OF INDIANA. 35 

the business was settled perfectly to m_v satisfaction and 
greatly to the advantajjfe of the public." 

Governor Henry soon received intellij^ence of the success- 
ful progress of the expedition under the command of Colonel 
Clark. The French inhabitants of the village of Kaskaskia, 
Cahokia and Post Vincennes, having taken the oath of allegi- 
ance lo the slate of Virginia, the General Assembly of that 
stale in 1778 passed an act which contained the following 
provisions, viz: — 'All the citizens of the Commonwealth of 
Virginia who are already settled or shall hereafter settle on 
the western side of the Ohio, shall be included in the district 
county which shall be called Illinois county and the Governor 
of this Commonwealth, with the advice of the Council, may 
appoint a County Lieutenant or a Commander in Chief in that 
count}' during pleasure, who shall appoint and commission so 
many Deputy Commandants of military officers and commis- 
sioners as he shall think proper in the different districts dur- 
ing pleasure; all of whom, before they enter into oflice, shall 
take the oath of iidelii}' to this Commonwealth and the oath 
of office according to the forms of their religion; and all the 
civil officers which the inhabitants have been accustomed to, 
necessary for the preservation of peace and the administration 
of justice, shall be chosen by a majority of the citizens in their 
respective districts to be convened for that purpose by the 
County Lieutenant or Commandant or his deputy and shall be 
commissioned by the said County Lieutenant or Commander in 
Chief.'' 

Before ihe provisions of this law were carried into effect, 
Henry Hamilicn, the British Lieutenant (Governor of Detroit, 
collected an army consisting of about thirty regulars, fifty 
French volunteers and four hundred Indians. With this force he 
passed down the Wabash and took possession of Post Vincennes 
on the fifteenth of December, 1778. No attempt was made by 
the population to defend the town. Captain Helm was taken 
and detained as a prisoner and a nunil)er of the French inhab- 
itants were disarmed. When (Governor Hamilton entered 
Vincennes, there were but two Americans there, Captain 
Helm, the commander, and a soldier by the name of Henry. 



36 PIONEER HISTORY OF INDIANA. 

The latter had a cannon well charged and placed in the open 
fortg-ate, while Helm stood b}- with a lighted match in hand. 
"When Hamilton and his troops got within hailing distance, 
the Captain in a loud voice called out — "Halt." This stopped 
the movements of Hamilton who in repl}' demanded a surren- 
der of the garrison. Helm exclaimed. "No man shall enter here 
until I know the terms." Hamilton answered, "You shall 
have the honors of war." The fort was surrendered with a 
garrison of one officer and one private. 

Lieutenant Governor Hamilton, before leaving Detroit, 
made all the arrangements for a grand onward rush against 
the settlements west of the Allegheu}- Mountains in the early 
spring of 1779, 

Colonel George Rogers Clark in the latter part of 1778 
had marched into the wilderness of the Northwest with less 
than two hundred Virginians, captured Kaskaskia and Caho" 
kia and made a peaceable conquest of Vincennes in the heart 
of the Indian countr}'. He was now in position to check the 
savages if the}' persisted in their attacks on the 3'oung settle- 
ments in Kentuck}' and Virginia and to breakup their confed- 
erations with the British. Lieutenant Governor Hamilton de- 
termined, if possible, to recapture the lost forts, and to this 
end, he left Detroit with a company of Regulars and Volun- 
teers and gathered an army of Indians three times as large 
as Clark had. Having recaptured Vincennes without any op- 
position, he went about repairing the fort to make suitable 
quarters for the garrison. Being late in the season and the 
weather very bad, he sent his Indian army away in the com- 
mand of some of his Canadian Indian partisans to the Ohio 
river to watch for and intercept reinforcements to Clark's 
army and to annoy the settlements on the borders of Ken- 
tucky and Virginia. He sent delegates to the Southern Indians 
to prepare them for the coming raid when spring shouM open 
and selected points to rendezvous in the spring, in order to be in 
a position to dislodge Clark and drive him out of the country. 

His intention then was to overrun the country west of the 
Allegheny Mountains with his northern and southern Indian 
confederates and sweep away all opposition to the British in 



PIONEER HISTORY OF INDIANA. 37 



all the vast reyfion between the Mississippi river and the 
Alle^han}' Mountains. Fortunately for the American cause, 
Hamilton had underrated his rival who was a much better 
soldier and much more resourceful than he was. 

After Post Vincennes had been recaptured by Hamilton 
from Captain Helm, Clark was at Kaskaskia and had no in- 
formation of the situation there until the latter part of Janu- 
uary, 177W. He m.et with Francis Vi«j^o, who was a trader at 
that time in St.- Louis and favorable to the Americans. He 
tendered Clark his services and was reijuested to yfo to Post 
Vincennes to report the condition of tliin{j:"s at that place. 
Vi^o readily accepted the hazardous service and started, but 
before he yot to his destination he was captured by hostile 
Indians and carried a prisoner before Governor Hamilton 
who had then been at the Post onlv a few days. For some 
three weeks Vij^o was held a prisoner on parole, requiring- 
him to report daily to the fort then called Fort Sackville. 
He refused to be set at liberty which was offered him if he 
would swear that he would not do anything- during the war 
that would be inimical to the British interest. Father Gi- 
bault, who was a great friend to the Americans, as we have 
shown, interested himself in Vigo's behalf and after services 
one Sunday morning, the latter part of January, went to the 
fort, attended by a large number of parishioners and notified 
Hamilton that they would not sell any more supplies to his 
troops until Vigo was released. Hamilton had no evidence 
ag-ainst him so he agreed to release him on condition that he 
would not do anything to injure the British interests on his 
way to St. Louis. Vigo started with two companions down 
the Wabash and Ohio and went up the Mississippi until St. 
Louis was reached. He was only a short time in securing" 
some needed clothing and supplies, and was soon in his 
pirogue going down the Mississippi as fast as his boat would 
take him. Arriving in a short time at Kaskaskia, he gave 
Clark a minute account concerning all matters at Vincennes. 

Seven days after receiving Vigo's report, Clark, with a 
force of one hundred and seventy men, started on a dreary 
march from Kaskaskia on the Mississii)pi to Vincennes 



38 PIONEER HISTORY OF INDIANA. 

on the Wabash river. At the same time he despatched an 
armed g-alle)- with fortj' men under Captain John Rogers to 
go down the Mississippi river, up the Ohio and Wabash to a 
point near the mouth of White river. The route Clark fol- 
lowed was an old Indian trace through forests and prairies. 
The weather being uncommonl}- rain}', all the large streams 
were out of their banks. These hard}' woodsmen, weig^hed down 
with their arms and provisions, pressed along on foot through 
forest, marshes, ponds, broad rivers and overflowed lowlands, 
until they reached the crossing of the Little Wabash where 
the bottoms were overflowed sev^eral miles in width to the 
depth of three to five feet. The troops waded into the water, 
which in some places was up to their arm pits, even to the 
necks of some of the shorter men, and commenced to make 
their wa}' across. During the journey a favorite song would 
be sung, the whole detachment joining in the chorus. When 
the}' had arrived at the deepest part from whence it was in 
tended to transport the troops in two canoes which they had ob- 
tained, one of the men said that he felt a path quite perceptible 
to his naked feet, supposing that it must pass over the highest 
ground. This march was continued to a place called "The 
Sugar Camp." 

Clark's Memoirs gives the following: — "Where we found 
about half an acre of dry ground, at least not under water, 
there we went into camp. Most of the weather we had on this 
march was warm for the season. The night we went into 
camp was the coldest we had and the ice in the morning, 
which was the finest we had on the march, was from one- 
half to three-quarters of an inch thick near the shore and 
still water. A little after sunrise I lectured the men. What 
I said to them I have forgotten but I concluded by informing 
them that passing the place that was then in full view and 
reaching the opposite woods, would put an end to their 
fatigue. I told, them that in a few minutes they would have 
a sight of their long-looked-for object and immediately 
stepped into the water without waiting for a reply, whereup- 
on there was a great huzza. As we generally marched 
through the water in line, before the third man entered I 



PIONEER HISTORY OF INDIANA. 39 

halted and called to Cai)tain Bowman, orderinj^ him to fall in 
the rear with twenty-live men and put to death any who re- 
fused to march, as we wished to have no such persons among 
us. All ofave a cry of approbation and on we went. This 
was the most trying- of all the difficulties we had experienced. 
I generally kept fifteen or twenty of the strongest men near 
myself, and judged from my own feelings what must have 
been that of others. 

"When I reached the middle of the plain, the water 
being about mid-deep, I found myself sensibly failing and as 
there were no trees or bushes for the men to support them- 
selves by, I feared that many of the weak would be drowned. 
I ordered the canoes to make the land, discharge their load- 
ing and play back and forward with all diligence, and to pick 
up the men and encourage the party. I sent some of the 
strongest men forward with orders that, when they got to a 
certain distance to pass the word back that the water was 
getting shallow and when they got near the woods to cry 
out — 'Land'. This strategem had its desired effect. The men 
encouraged by it exerted themselves almost beyond their abil- 
ities, the weak holding by the stronger, the water never get- 
ting shallower but continuing deeper. Getting to the woods 
where the men expected land, the water was up to my 
shoulders, but gaining the woods was of great consequence. 
All the short and weakly men hung to the trees and floated 
on the old logs until they were taken off by the canoes. 
Those who were strong and tall got ashore and built fires. 
Many would reach the shore and fall with their bodies half 
in the water, not being able to support themselves without it. 
This shore was a delightful dry spot of ground of about ten 
acres. We soon found that the fires did not avail to warm 
the men and bring back the circulation, but two strong men 
had to take the weaker ones by the arms and run them up and 
down along the path in order to restore the circulation and, 
it being a delightful day, this had the desired effect. Fortu- 
nately, as if designed by Providence, a canoe of Indian 
scjuaws and children was coming up to town and took through 
this plain as a near way. It was discovered by our canoes as 



40 PIONEER HISTORY OF INDIANA. 

they were out after the men and they g-ave chase, taking the 
Indian canoe captive. On board there was a half a quarter of 
buffalo, some corn, tallow and kettles. This was a grand 
prize and was invaluable. Broth was immediatel}^ made and 
served to the weakest ones with great care. Most all 
men got a little but a great man}' gave their share to their 
weaker comrades, jocosel}' saying something cheering to 
them as they did so. By the afternoon this little refresh- 
ment and fine weather gave new life to my men. 

"After crossing a narrow, deep lake in the canoes and 
marching some distance we came to a copse of timber called 
"Warrior Island." We were now about two miles distant 
from the town and in full view of the fort, with not a shrub 
between us. Ever}' man feasted his eyes and forgot that he 
had suffered anything; saying that all that had passed was 
owing to good policy and nothing but what a man could bear^ 
and that a soldier had no right to think; passing from one 
extreme to another, which is common in such cases. It was 
now that we had to display our abilities. The plain between 
us and the town was not a perfect level. The sunken ground 
was covered with water, full of ducks and we observed sev- 
eral men on horseback shooting them, within half a mile of 
us. We sent out a number of our young Frenchmen to decoy 
and take one of these men prisoner, in such a manner as not 
to alarm the others," which they did. The information we got 
from this prisoner was that the British had that evening com- 
pleted the walls of the fort and that there were a good many 
Indians in town. Our situation -was now truly critical as 
there was no possibility of retreating in case of defeat and in 
full view of the town that had at this time upwards of six 
hundred men in it. The crew of the galley, though not fifty 
men, would now have been a reinforcement of immense mag- 
nitude to our little army. But we would not think of them. 
We were now in the situation that I had labored to get our- 
selves in. The idea of being made prisoner was foreign to al- 
most every man as they expected nothing but torture from the 
savage if they fell into their hands. Our fate was now to be 
determined, probably in a few hours, and we knew that noth- 



PIONEER HISTORY OF INDIANA. 41 

inj,'- but the most daring conduct would insure success. I 
knew that a number of the inhabitants wished us well, that 
man}- were lukewarm to the interests of either and I also 
learned that The Grand Door, Tobacco's Son, had but a few 
dajs before, openl}- declared in council with the British that 
he was a brother and friend to the Big Knife. These were 
favorable circumstances and as there was but little probabil- 
it)' of our remaining until dark undiscovered, I determined to 
begin the career immediately and wrote the following placard 
to the inhabitants — 

"To the inhabitants of Post ^'i^cennes, Gentle- 
men: — Being now within two miles of your village 
with my army, determined to take your fort this 
night and not being willing to surprise you. I take 
this method to recjuest those of you who are true 
citizens and willing to enjoy the liberty I bring to 
you. to remain still in your houses; and those, if an}' 
there be, who are friends to the King, will instantly 
repair to the fort and join the "Hair-buying Gen- 
eral" and tight like men, and if any such as do not 
go to the fort shall be discovered afterward, thev 
may depend on severe punishment. On the contrary, 
those who are true friends of liberty may depend on 
being well treated and I once more request iliem to 
keep out of the streets for every one I find in arms 
on my arrival I shall treat as an enemy." 

Signed, G. R. Cl.\rk. 

"I had various ideas on the supp(.)sed results of this let- 
ter. I knew it could do us no damage, but it would cause the 
lukewarm to decide, encourage our friends and astonish our 
enemies. We anxiously viewed this messenger until he en- 
tered the town and in a few moments could discover, by our 
glasses, some stir in every street that we could penetrate, and 
great numbers running or riding out on the commons, we 
supposed to view us, which was the case. The thing that 
surprised us was that nothing as yet had hapi)ene(l that had 
the appearance of the garrison being alarmed — no drum, 
no guns. We began to suppose the informatit)n we got 
from our prisoners was false and that the enemy already 
knew of us and were i)rei)ared. A little before sunset we 



42 PIONEER HISTORY OF INDIANA. 

moved and displaj'ed ourselves in full view of the town, 
crowds gazing- at us. We were plunging ourselves into cer- 
tain destruction or success, nothing less than these being 
thought of. We had but little to sa}' to our men except to 
inculcate the idea of the necessity of obedience. We knew 
that they did not need encouraging and that anything might be 
attempted with them that was possible for such a number of 
men to perform. They were perfectly cool under subordina- 
tion, pleased with the prospect before them and much at- 
tached to their officers. They all declared that they were 
convinced that implicit obedience to order was the only thing 
that would insure success and hoped that no mercy would be 
shown to persons violating such orders. Language like this 
from soldiers to persons in our situation was exceedingl)^ 
agreeable. 

"We moved on slowly in full view of the town, but as it 
was a point of some consequence to us to make ourselves 
appear as formidable as possible, in leaving the covert which 
we were in we marched and countermarched in such a manner 
that we appeared numerous. In raising volunteers in Illi- 
nois, ever}" person that set about the business had a set of 
colors given him which they brought with them to the amount 
of ten or twelve pair. These were displa3'ed to the best 
advantage and as the low plain we marched through was not 
a perfect level but had frequent raises in it, seven or eight 
feet higher than the common level, which was covered with 
water, and as these raises generally ran in an oblique direc- 
tion to the town, we took advantage of one of them, march- 
ing through the water under it, which completely prevented 
our being numbered. Our colors showed considerably above 
the heights as they were fixed on long poles for the purpose 
and at a distance made no despicable appearance. As our 
young Frenchmen, while on Warrior Island, decoyed and took 
several fowlers with their horses, officers were now mounted 
on these horses and rode about, more completel}" to deceive 
the enemy. In this manner we moved and directed our march 
in such a way as to suffer it to be dark before we had advanced 
more than half way to the town. We then suddenly altered 



PIONEER HISTORY OK INDIANA. 4:> 

our direction, crossed ])onds where they could not have ex- 
pected VIS and about eiy^ht o'clock <jfained the town. As there 
was yet no hostile move we were impatient to have the cause of 
this unriddled, and Lieutenant Bayley, with fourteen men, 
was ordered to march and fire on the fort. The main body 
moved in a different direction and took possession of the 
stronjjest part of the town. The firinjj now commenced 
on the fort but they did not believe it was an enemy, as 
drunken Indians often saluted the fort after nitjfht, until 
one of their men was shot down throuyfh a i)ort hole. The 
drums now sounded and the business fairly commenced on 
both sides. Reinforcements were sent to aid the attack on 
the yfarrison while other arranj^ements were makinjj in town. 
We now found that the yfarrison had known nothinjjf of us. 
Having finished the fort that evening-, they had amused 
themselves and had just retired before my letter arrived. As 
it was near roll call, the placard being- made public, many of 
the inhabitants were afraid to show themselves out of their 
houses for fear of giving offence and no one dared to give in- 
formation. Our friends flew to the commons and other con- 
venient places to view the pleasing sight. This was observed 
from the garrison and the reason asked, but a satisfactory 
excuse was given, and as a part of the town lay between our 
lines of march and the garrison, we could not be seen by the 
sentinels on the wall. 

"Captain W. Shannon and another, being some time be- 
fore taken jirisoners by one of their scouting parties and that 
evening brought in, the i)arty had discovered at the Sugar 
Camp some jiign of us. They supposed that it was a i)arty 
of observation that intended to land on the height some dis- 
tance below the town and Cajjtain Lamotte was sent to inter- 
cept them. It was at him, the i^eoi^le said, they were looking 
when they were asked the reason of their unusual stir. Sev- 
eral suspected persons had been taken to the garrison, and 
among them was Mr. Moses Henry. Mrs. Henry, under i)re- 
tense of conveying him jirovision, went and whispered to him 
the news and what she had seen. Mr. Henry conveyed it to 
the rest of his fellow i)risoners which gave them much pleas- 



44 PIONEER HISTORY OF INDIANA. 

ure, particular!}' Captain Helm, who amused himself very- 
much during- the siege and, I believe, did much damage. 
Ammunition was scarce with us as most of our stores had 
been put on board the galley and though her crew was small, 
such a reinforcement at this time would have been of incalcu- 
lable value in man}' ways. Fortunately for us, at the time of 
its being reported that all the goods in the town were to be 
taken for the King's use (for which owners were to receive 
bills j, Colonel Legras and Major Bosseron and others, had 
buried the greater part of their powder and balls. This was 
immediately produced and we found ourselves well supplied 
by those gentlemen. The Tobacco's Son (with a number of 
his warriors) immediately mustered his men and let us know 
that he wished to join us, saying that by morning he would 
have a hundred men. We thanked him for his friendly dispo- 
sition, said that we were sufficiently strong ourselves and that 
we would council on the subject in the morning, as we knew 
there were a number of Indians in and near the town that were 
our enemies and some confusion might occur if our men should 
mix in the dark, but hoped we might be favored with his 
council and company during the night, which was agreeable 
to him. 

"The garrison was soon completely surrounded and the fire 
continued without intermission (excepting about fifteen min- 
utes a little before day j until nijie o'clock the following morn- 
ing. It was kept up by all the troop, excepting fifty men 
kept in reserve, joined by a few of the young men of the 
town who got permission. I had made myself fully acquainted 
with the situation at the fort, the town and the parts relative 
to each other. The cannon of the garrison was on the upper 
floor of the strong block houses, at each angle of the fort 
eleven feet above the surface. The ports were so badly cut 
that many of our troops lay under the fire of them within 
twenty-five yards of the walls. They did no damage except 
to the buildings of the town, some of which were badly 
wrecked. Their musketry in the dark employed against 
woodsmen, covered by houses, palings, ditches and the banks- 
of the river, was of little avail and did no injury to us ex- 



PIONEER HISTORY OF INDIANA. 45 

cept woundinyf a man or two. As we could not afford to lose 
men g^reat care was taken to preserve them, sufficienth' cov- 
erinuf them and to keep up a hot tire to intimidate the enemy 
as well as destroy them. The embrasures for their cannon 
were mostly closed, for our riflemen, finding the true direc- 
tion, would pour in such a volley when they were open that the 
men could not stand to the jjfuns and seven or eijfht of them 
were killed in a very short time. Our troops would frequently 
abuse the enemy in order to agfgTavate them to open their 
ports and fire their cannon that they might have the pleasure 
of shooting them down with their rifles, fifty of which would 
be leveled at them the minute the port flew open. I believe 
if they had stood at their artillery the greater part of them 
would have been destroyed in the course of the night, as 
most of our men lay within thirty yards of the walls, and in 
a few hours were covered equal to those in the fort and much 
more experienced in that mode of fighting. Sometimes an ir- 
regular fire as hot as possible was kej^t up from different di- 
rections for a few minutes and then would follow only a con- 
tinual scattering fire at the ports as usual. A great noise 
and laughter would immediately commence in different parts 
of the town by the reserve parties as if they had fired on the 
fort a few minutes for amusement and as if those contin- 
ually liring at the fort were only regularly relieved. 

"Conduct similar to the above kept ihe garrison constantly 
alarmed. They did not know what moment the}' might be 
stormed or blown up, as they could i)lainly discover that we had 
flung up some entrenchments across the streets and ai)i)eared 
to be frequently very busy under ihe l)ank of the river, which 
was within thirty feet of the walls. The situation of the 
magazine we knew well. Captain Bowman began some works 
in order to blow this uj) in case our artillery would arrive 
but as we knew that we were daily liable to be overpowered 
by the numerous bands of Indians on the river, in case they 
had again joined the enemy ( the certainty of which we were 
unac<iuainted with), we resolved to lose no lime, but to get 
the fort in our possession as soon as ])ossible. If the vessel 
did not arrive before the ensuing ni«jlu we resolved to under- 



46 PIONEER HISTORY OF INDIANA. 

mine the fort and fixed on the spot and plan of executing the 
work which we intended to commence the next da3\ The 
Indians of different tribes that were unfriendly had left the 
town and neighborhood. Captain Lamotte continued to hover 
about in order, if possible, to make his wa}' into the fort and 
parties attempted in vain to surprise him. A few of his part}^ 
were taken, one of whom was Maisonville, a famous Indian 
partisan. Two lads had- captured him, tied him to a post in 
the street and fought from behind him, supposing that the 
enemy would noi fire on them for fear of killing him as he 
would alarm them with his vqice. The lads were ordered to 
uniie their prisoner b)- an officer who discovered them at their 
amusements and to take him off to the guard which they did, 
but took a part of his scalp on ihe way, there happening to 
him no other damage. 

"As most of the persons who were ihe most active parti- 
sans in the department of Detroit were either in the fort or 
with Captain Lamott, I got extremel}' uneasy for fear that he 
would not fall into our power, knowing that he would go 
awaj' if he did not get into the fort in the course of the nighi. 
We found that without some unforseen accident the fort must 
eventualh' be ours and that a reinforcement of twenty men, 
although quite a few of them would not be of great moment 
to us in the present state of affairs, and knowing that we had 
weakened the enemy's forces by killing and wounding man}' 
of their gunners, after some deliberation we concluded to risk 
the reinforcement in preference to his (Lamott's) again g'oing 
among the Indians. The garrison had at least a month's 
provisions and if they could hold out, in the course of that 
time. he might do us damage. 

'"A little before da}' the troops were withdrawn from .heir 
positions about the fort, except a few parties of observation. 
The firing entirely ceased and orders were given that in case 
of Lamott's approach, not to alarm or fire on him. without 
a certainty of killing or taking all. In less than a quarter 
of an hour, he passed within ten feet of an officer and party 
that lay concealed. Ladders were flung over to Lanioit and 
the others and, as they mounted, our party shouted. Many 



PIONEER HISTORY OF INDIANA. 47 

of them fell from the top of the walls, some within and others 
back but as they were not fired on they all got over, much to 
the joy of their friends. In considering: the matter they must 
have been convinced that it was a scheme of ours to let them 
in and that we were so strong as to care but little about 
them. The firing immediately commenced on both sides with 
double vigor and I believe that more noise could not have 
been made by any eijual number of men. Their shouts could 
not be heard for the firearms, but a continual blaze was kept 
up around the garrison without much done until about day- 
break, when our troops were drawn off to posts prepared for 
them about sixty or seventy yards from the fort. A loop- 
hole then could scarcely be darkened without a rifle ball pass- 
ing through it and to have stood by their cannon would have 
destroyed their men without a probability' of doing much ser- 
vice. Our situation was nearly similar. It would have been 
imprudent in either part.v to have wasted iheir men unless 
some decisive stroke required it. 

"Thus the attack continued until about nine o'clock on the 
morning of the twenty-fourth. Learning that the two priso- 
ners they had brought in the day before had a considerable 
number of letters with them, I supposed it an e'xpress that we 
expected abovit this time, which I knew to be of great mo- 
ment to us, as we had not received one since our arrival in 
the country and not being fully acquainted with the charac- 
ter of our enemy, we thought perhaps these papers might be 
destroyed. To prevent this I sent a flag with a letter de- 
manding the garrison, the letter being as follows: — 

"Lieutenant Governor Hamilton: Sir: — In order 
to save yourself from the impending storm that now 
threatens you, I order you immediately to surrender 
yourself with all your garrison and stores, for if I 
am obliged to storm, you may depend on such treat- 
ment as is justly due to a murderer. Beware also of 
destroying stores of any kind or any papers or letters 
that are in your possession, or hurting one house in 
town for by heaven, if you do, there shall be no 
mercy shown you." 

Signed, (1. R. Cl.^rk. 



48 PIONEER HISTORY OF INDIANA. • 

''The British Commandant returned the following- ans- 
wer: 

"Lieutenant Governor Hamilton beg"S leave to 
acquaint Colonel Clark that he and his garrison are 
not disposed to be awed into any action unworth)^ of 
British subjects." 

"The firing- then commenced warml)* for a considerable 
time and we were obliged to be careful to prevent our men 
from exposing themselves too much as the}- were now 
much animated, having been refreshed during the flag. They 
frequentl}" mentioned their wishes to storm the place and put 
an end to the business at once. The firing was heavy 
throug-h ever}' crack that could be discovered in anj^ part of 
the fort. Several of the garrison were wounded and there 
was no possibility of standing near the embrasures. Toward 
evening a flag appeared with the following proposal: 

"Lieutenant Governor Hamilton proposes to 
Colonel Clark a truce for three da3's, during which 
time he promises there shall be no defensive work 
carried on in the garrison, on condition that Colonel 
Clark shall observe on his part a like cessation of 
an}' defensive work. That is — he wishes to confer 
with Colonel Clark as soon as can be and promises 
that whatever may pass between them and another 
person mutually agreed upon, to be present, shall re- 
main secret till matters be finished, as he wishes 
that, whatever the result of the conference may be, 
it may tend to the honor of each party. If Colonel 
Clark makes a difficulty of coming into the fort, 
Lieutenant Governor Hamilton will speak to him by 
the gate." 

Signed, Henry Hamilton. 

February 24, 1779. 

"I was at a great loss to conceive what reason Lieuten- 
ant Governor Hamilton could have for wishing a truce for 
three days on such terms as he proposed. Some said that 
it was a scheme to get me into their possession but I had a 
different opinion and no idea of his possessing such senti^ 
ments, as an act of that kind would in all probability, ruin 
him. Although we had the greatest reason to expect rein- 



PIONEER HISTORY OF INDIANA. 49 

forcements in less than three daj's that would at once put an 
€nd to the sieg-e, I yet did not think it prudent to agree to 
the proposals and sent the following answer: — 

"Colonel Qark's compliments to Lieutenant 
Governor Hamilton and begs to inform him that he 
will not agree to any terms other than Mr. Hamil- 
ton's surrendering himself and garrison prisoners at 
discretion. If Mr. Hamilton is desirous of a confer- 
ence with Colonel Clark, he will meet him at the 
church with Captain Helm, Feb. 24, 1779." 

Signed, G. R. Clark. 

"We met at the church about eighty yards from the fort, 
Lieutenant Governor Hamilton, Major Hav, Supt. of Indian 
Affairs, Captain Helm, their prisoner. Major Bowman and 
myself. The conference began. Hamilton produced terms 
of capitulation that contained various articles, one of which 
was that the g-arrison should be surrendered on their being 
permitted to g-o to Pensacola on parole. After deliberating 
on every article I rejected the whole. He then wished that I 
would make some propositions. I told him that I had no 
other to make other than I had already made — that of his 
surrendering as prisoners at discretion. I said that his 
troops had behaved with spirit and that they could not sup- 
pose they would be worse treated in consequence of it; that 
if he chose to comply with the demand, though hard, perhaps 
the sooner the better. I added that it was useless to make 
any further propositions to me and that b}' this time he must 
realize that the garrison would fall. We must, I said, view 
all the blood spilled in the future by th& garrison as murder 
and that the troops were already impatient and calling aloud 
for permission to tear down and storm the fort. If such a 
step were taken many, of course, would be cut down and the 
result of an enraged body of woodsmen breaking in must be 
obvious to him; it would be out of the power of the American 
officers to save a single man. 

"Various altercations took place for a considerable time. 
Captain Helm attempted to moderate our fixed determination 
and I told him he was a British prisoner and it was doubtful 



50 PIONEER HISTORY OF INDIANA. 

whether or not he could speak on the subject. Hamilton then 
said that Captain Helm was free from that moment and might 
use his pleasure. I informed the Captain that I would not 
receive him on such terms but that he must return to the gar- 
rison and await his fate. I then told ^^ieutenant Governor 
Hamilton that hostilities should not commence until five min- 
utes after the drums gave the alarm. We then took our 
leave and had gone but a few steps when Hamilton stopped 
and politel)' asked me if I would be so kind as to give him 
my reason for refusing the garrison on any other terms than 
those I offered. I told him I had no objection to giving him 
my real reasons which were these — I knew the greater part 
of the principal Indian partisans of Detroit were with him 
and I wanted an excuse for putting them to death or other- 
wise treat them as I thought proper; the cries of the widows 
and the fatherless children on the frontiers which they had 
occasioned now required their blood from my hands and I did 
not choose to be so timorous as to disobe}^ the absolute com- 
mand of their authority which I looked upon as almost di- 
vine. I would rather lose fift}" men I told him than fail to 
impower m5'self to execute this piece of business with propri- 
et3% and if he wished to risk the massacre of his garrison, for 
their sakes, it was his own pleasure; also I might take it in- 
to my head to send for some of those widows to see them exe- 
cuted. Major Ha3^ gave great attention. I had observed a 
kind of distrust in his countenance which in a great measure 
influenced m)' conversation during the time and on m_v con- 
cluding, 'Pray sir.' said he,»'who is it that you call Indian 
partisans?' 'Sir,' I replied. 'I take Major Hay to be one of the 
principal ones.' I never saw a man in a moment of execution 
so struck as he appeared to be — pale, trembling, scarceh^ able 
to stand. Hamilton blushed and I observed, was much af- 
fecied at his behavior. Major Bowman's countenance suffi- 
ciently explained his disdain for one and his sorrow for the 
other. Some moments elapsed without a word passing on 
either side. From that moment m}- resolution changed res- 
pecting Hamilton's situation. I told him that we would re- 
turn to our respective posts, that I would reconsider the mat- 



PIONEER HISTORY OF INDIANA. 51 

ter and would let liim know the results and no offensive meas- 
ures should be taken in the mean lime. This was aj^reed to 
and we parted. 

'"When all that had passed was made known to our offi- 
ficers, it was ay^reed that we should moderate our resolutions." 

During- the conference at ihe church, some Indian war- 
riors who had been sent to the flails of Ohio for scalps and 
prisoners and had just returned, were discovered, as they en- 
tered the plains near Post Vincennes and a party of American 
troops commanded by Captain Williams, went out to meet 
them. The Indians who misiook ihe detachment for a party 
of iheir friends, continued to advance with all the parade of 
successful warriors. When our troops had arrived at the 
proper distance from the proud and strutting- warriors, they 
opened tire on them, killing- two and wounding three and took 
six prisoners and brought them into town. Two of them 
proved to be white men and relaied to some of Clark's French 
volunteers and were released. They then brought the three 
wounded and four Indian prisoners to the main street, near 
the gate of the fort, there tomahawked them and threw them 
into the river. 

In the course of the afternoon of the twenty-fourth the 
following articles were signed and the garrison capitulated: 

I. Lieutenant Governor Hamilton engages to 
deliver up to Colonel Clark Fort Sackville as it is at 
present, with all the stores. 

II. The garrison are to deliver themselves as 
prisoners of war and march out with all their arms 
and accoutrements. 

III. The garrison is to be delivered up at ten 
o'clock tomorrow. 

IV. Three days time lo be allowed the garrison 
to settle their accounts wiih the inhabitants and 
traders of this place. 

V. The officers of the garris(,)n to be allowed 
their necessary baggage. 

Signed at Post Vincennes, February 24,- 1779. 

Agreed for the following reasons — the remote- 
ness from succor, the state and (juality of provisions, 



52 PIONEER HISTORY OF INDIANA. 

unanimit)' of officers and men to its expedienc3% the 
honorable terms allowed and lastlj' — the confidence 
in a g-enerous enem}'. 

Signed, Henry Hamilton. 
Lieutenant Governor and Superintendent. 

To again quote from the memoirs — "The business now 
being- nearl)- at an end, troops were posted in several strong- 
houses around the garrison and patrolled during the night 
to prevent any deception that might be attempted. Those 
remaining on duty lay on their arms and for the first time in 
many days past got some rest. 

"During the siege I had only one man wounded. Not being- 
able to afford to lose many, I made them secure themselves 
well. Almost every man had conceived a favorable opinion 
of Lieutenant Governor Hamilton. I believe that whatever 
affected myself made some impression on all of them and I am 
happy to find that he never deviated while he stayed with us 
from the dignity of conduct that became an officer in his situ- 
ation. 

"The morning of the twent_v-fifth approaching, arrange- 
ments were made for receiving the garrison, which consisted 
of seventy-nine men and about ten o'clock it was delivered in 
form and everything was immediately arranged to the best 
advantage. On the twent3'-seventh our galley arrived all 
safe. The crew were much mortified that they did not have 
a hand in the fray, although they deserve great credit for 
their diligence. They had on the passage taken up William 
Myres, express from the government. The despatches gave 
us great encouragement. Our battalion was to be completed 
and an additional one to be expected in the spring. On the 
day after the surrender of the British garrison, I sent a de- 
tachment of sixty men up the Wabash to intercept some boats 
which were laden with provisions and goods from Detroit. 
The detachment under the command of Captain Helm, Major 
Bosserone and Major Legras, proceeded up the river in three 
armed boats about one hundred and twenty miles, where the 
British boats, seven in number were surprised and captured 
without firing a gun. These boats had on board about ten 



PIONEER HISTORY OF INDIANA. 53 

thousand pounds worth of gfoods and provisions and were 
manned by about forty men, amonjf whom was Phillip De- 
jean, a magistrate of Detroit. The provision was taken for 
the public and the jjfoods divided among- the soldiers, except 
about eight hundred pounds worth to clothe the troops we 
expected to receive in a short time. This was very agree- 
able to the soldiers as I told them the state should pay them 
in money proportionate to the time of service and they had a 
great plentj' of goods. The quantity of public goods added 
to all of those belonging to the traders of Post Vincennes 
that had been taken by the British and surrendered to us, was 
very considerable. The whole was divided among the soldiers, 
except some Indian medals that were kept in order to be al- 
tered for public use. The officers received nothing except a 
few articles of clothing that they stood in need of. 

"We 3'et found ourselves uneasy. The number of priso- 
ners we had taken added to those of the garrison was so great 
when compared to our own numbers, that we were at a loss 
how to dispose of them so as not to interfere with our future 
operations. On the seventh of March, Captains Williams and 
Rogers, set out by water with a party of twenty-five men to 
conduct the British officers to Kentucky and to further weaken 
the prisoners, eighteen privates were sent with them. After 
their arrival at the Falls of the Ohio, Captain Rogers had 
instructions to superintend their route to Williamsburg, to 
furnish them with all the necessary supplies on the way and 
to wait the orders of the Governor. A company of volunteers 
from Detroit, composed mostly of young men, was drawn up, 
and while contemplating the trip to a strange country, they 
were told that we were happy to learn that many of them had 
been torn from their fathers and mothers and forced to go on 
this expedition and that others, ignorant of the true cause of 
the contest, had enlisted from a principle that actuated a 
great number of men. namely, that of being fond of enterprise. 
We told them that they now had a good opportunity to make 
themselves fully acquainted with the nature of the war, 
which they might explain to their friends and as we knew 
that by sending them to the states where they would be con- 



54 PIONEER HISTORY OF INDIANA. 

fined in jails, probabl)- for the course of the war, would make 
a great number of their friends in Detroit unhapp)', we had 
thoug^ht proper for their sake to suffer them to return home. 
The}" were discharged on taking an oath not to bear arms 
against the Americans until exchanged. The}- were furnish- 
ed with arms, boats and provision. Man}- others that we 
could trust we suffered to enlist in the arm}-, so that our 
charge of prisoners was much reduced." 

The hardships and great exposure endured b}- Clark and 
his men in the terrible march from Kaskaskia through the 
floods of the Wabash and the suffering for the want of food 
endured by them was almost beyond endurance; but the ex- 
citing times attending the battle and the great victor}' won by 
them, cured all their ills and they were as happy and cheerful 
as if they had spent their time in comfortable barracks. Of 
that march and victory John Randolph who so aptly called 
Clark "The Hannibal of the West," says — "The march of the 
great man, Clark, and his brave companions in arms across 
the drowned lands of the Wabash, does not shrink from a 
comparison with the passage of the Thrasymeneus marsh. 
The mere battle of St. Vincent dwindles in the propor- 
tions of a mote compared with that of Thrasymeneus 
but it was the turning point which probably settled the pos- 
session at the peace of Paris of a territory vastly larger than 
that of all Italy, which was the stake between the Carthagin- 
ians and the Romans. The Carthaginians won the battle but 
lost the stake. Clark won both. If Hannibal was four days and 
four nights in the Clusian marsh in summer, the Virginians 
were five days in the winter torrents of the Wabash. Clark 
underwent all the hardships of his men, wading the floods, 
encouraging them to follow — Hannibal waded the marsh on 
the back of his war elephant." 

In speaking of what followed the capture of Post Vin- 
cennes, Clark continues — "I had yet sent no message to the 
Indian tribes, wishing to see what effect all this would have 
on them. The Piankashaws being of the tribe of Tobacco's 
Son were always familiar with us. Part of the behavior of 
this Grandee, as he viewed himself, was diverting enough. 



PIONEER HISTORY OF INDIANA. 55 

He had conceived such an inviolable attachment for CajUain 
Helm, that on fmdinfjf the Cai)tain was a prisoner and not 
bein^ as yet able to release him he declared himself a prisoner 
also. He joined his brother as he called him and kept contin- 
ually condoling- their situation as i)risoners in great distress, 
at the same time wantinj^- nothinjjf that was in the power 
of the y^arrison to furnish. Lieutenant Governor Hamilton, 
knowing the influence of Tobacco's Son, was extreme!)' jealous 
of his behavior and took every pains to y:ain him by presents. 
When anythinj^ was presented to him his reply would be that it 
would serve him and his brother to live on. He would not 
enter into council sayinjjf that he was a prisoner and had 
nothing to sa}- but was in hopes that when the grass grew 
his brother, the Big Knife, would release him and when he 
was free he could talk. In short, they could do nothing with 
him and the moment he heard of our arrival he paraded all 
the warriors he had in his village joining Post Vincennes and 
was ready to fall in and attack the fort, but for reasons for- 
merly mentioned he was desired to desist. 

"On the fifteenth of March, 177*i, a party of upper Pian- 
kashaws and some Pottawattamie and Miami chiefs made 
their appearance, making great protestations of their attach- 
ment to the Americans, begging that they might be taken in 
under the cover of our wings, that the roads through the land 
might be made straight, all the stumbling blocks might be re- 
moved and that our friends and neighboring nations might also 
be considered in the same point of view. I well knew from what 
principle all this sprang. As I had Detroit now in my eye, 
it was my business to take a straight and clear road for my- 
self to walk in without thinking much of their interest, or 
anything else but that of opening the road in earnest, by flat- 
tery, deception or any other means that occurred. I told them 
that I was glad to see them and was happy to learn that most 
of the nations on the Wabash and Maumee rivers had proved 
themselves to be men by adhering to the treaties they had made 
with the Big Knife last fall, excei)t a few weak minded that had 
been deluded by the English to come to war. I did not know, I 
said, exactly who these few were nor much cared but under- 



56 PIONEER HISTORY OF INDIANA. 

stood the}^ were a band chiefly composed of almost all the 
tribes. Such people were to be found among- all nations but 
as the sort of people who had the meanness to sell their coun- 
try for a shirt, were not worthy of the attention of warriors, 
we would not sa)- more about them and think on subjects 
more becoming to us. I told them that I should let the Great 
Council of America know of their g-ood behavior and that 
the}^ would be counted as friends of the Big Knife and would 
alwa3"S be under their protection and their countr}^ secured to 
them as the Big Knife had land enough and did not want 
any more, but if ever the}^ broke their faith, the Big Knife 
would never again trust them, as the)" never held friendship 
with people that they found with two hearts. They were wit- 
nesses of the calamities the British had brought on their 
countries by their false assertions and their presents which 
was proof of their weakness. They could see, we told them, 
that their boasted valor was like to fall to the ground and 
they would not come out of the fort the other day to tr}" to 
save the Indians that they flattered to war and suffered them 
to be killed in their sight. As the nature of the war had 
been fully explained them last fall, the)^ might clearly see 
that the Great Spirit would not suffer it to be otherwise and 
that it was not onl}- the case on the Wabash but everywhere 
else. We assured them that the nations who would continue 
obstinately to believe the English would be driven out of the 
land and their countries given to those who were more steady 
friends to the Americans. We further told them that we ex- 
pected for the future that if any of our people should be going 
to war through their country the}' would be protected which 
should always be the case of their people when among us and 
that mutual confidence should continue to exist. 

"They replied that from what the}- had seen and heard, 
they were convinced that the Master of Life had a hand in 
all things, that their people would rejoice on their return and 
that they would take pains to diffuse what they had heard 
through all the nations and made no doubt of the good effect 
of it. After a long speech in the Indian style calling all the 
spirits to witness, they concluded b}' renewing the chain of 



PIONEER HISTORY OF INDIANA. 57 

friendship, smokintj: the sacred pipe and exchanging belts 
and, I believe, went off really well pleased but not able to 
fathom the bottom of all they had heard. The greatest part 
of it was mere political lies. Captain Shelby, afterward, with 
his own compan_v only, lay for a considerable time in a Wea 
town in the heart of their country and was treated in the 
most friendly manner by all the nations that he saw. He 
was frequently invited by them to join and plunder what was 
called the King's pasture at Detroit, meaning to steal horses 
from that settlement. Things now being pretty well ar- 
ranged. Lieutenant Richard Brashear was appointed to the 
command of the garrison which consisted of Lieutenants 
Baley and Chaplain, with forty picked men; Captain Leonard 
Helm, commandant of the town, superintendent of the Indian 
affairs; Moses Henry, Indian a'gent, and Patrick Kennedy, 
quartermaster. 

"Giving necessary instructions to all persons that I left in 
office, I set sail, on the twentieth of March, on board our 
galle}' which was now made perfectly complete, attended b}' 
five armed boats and seventy men. The water being very . 
high we soon reached the Mississippi, the winds favoring us. 
In a few da3's we arrived at Kaskaskia to the great joy of 
our new friends, Captain George and company waiting to re- 
ceive tis. On our journey up the Mississippi we had observed, 
several Indian camps which appeard to be fresh but had been 
left in great confusion. This we could not account for but 
were soon informed that a few days past a part}" of Delaware 
warriors came to town and appeared to be ver)- impudent. In 
the evening, having been drinking they said they had come 
there for scalps and would have them and flashed a gun at 
the breast of an American woman present. A sergeant and 
party at that moment passing the house saw the confusion 
and rushed in. The Indians immediately fled and the ser- 
geant pursued and killed them. A party was instantly sient 
to rout the camps on the river, this being executed the day 
before we came and being the sign we had seen. 

"Part of the Delaware nation had settled at the fork of 
White river and hunted in the countries on the Ohio and 



58 PIONEER HISTORY OF INDIANA. 

Mississippi. The); had, on our first arrival, hatched up a 
sort of peace with us but I alwa5's knew the)' were for open 
war but never before could gfet a proper excuse for extermin- 
ating- them from the country which I knew they were loath 
to leave. All the other Indians wished them away as the)^ 
were great hunters and killed their game. A few daj's after 
this Captain Helm informed me by express that a party of 
traders who were going b)' land to the falls of the Ohio, were 
killed and plundered b}' the Delaware Indians on White river. 
It appeared that their designs were altogether hostile as they 
had received a belt from the Great Council of their nation. 
I was sorr)' for the loss of our men but otherwise pleased at 
what had happened as it gave me an opportunit)' of showing 
the other Indians the horrid fate of those who would dare to 
make war on the Big Knife and to excel them in barbarit)' I 
knew was the only way to make war and gain a name among 
the Indians. I immediate!)' sent orders to Post Vincennes to 
make war on the Delawares, to use every means in their 
power to destro}' them, to show no kind of mere)' to the men 
but to spare the women and children. This order was ex- 
ecuted without dela}'. Their camps were attacked in ever}^ 
quarter where they could be found. Many fell and others 
were brought to Post Vincennes and put to death. The wo- 
men and children were secured. They immediately applied 
for a reconciliation but were informed that I had ordered the 
war and my people dare not lay down their tomahawks with- 
out permission from me, but if the Indians were agreed, no 
more blood should be spilled until an express should go to 
Kaskaskia, which was immediately sent. I refused to make 
peace with the Delawares and let them know we never trust- 
ed those who had once violated their faith, but if they had a 
mind to be quiet the)- might, if the)' could get any of their 
neighboring Indians to be security for their good behavior. 
I informed them I would let them alone but that I cared very 
little about it. 

"Privately directing Captain Helm how to manage, a 
council was called of all the Indians of the neighborhood and 
my answer was made public. The Piankashaws took it on 



PIONEER HISTORY OF INDIANA. 59 

themselves to answer for the future good conduct of the 
Delawares and the Tobacco's Son in a lengthy speech in- 
formed them of the baseness of their conduct and how richlj* 
they had deserved the blow they had met with. He had 
given them permission to settle that country but not to kill 
his friends. They nov/ knew, he said, that the Big Knife 
had refused to make peace with them but that he (Tobacco's 
Son) had become security for their good conduct and the}' 
might go and mind their hunting but if they ever did any 
more mischief — he did not finish but pointed to the sacred 
bow that he held in his hand as much as to say that he him- 
self would in the future, chastise them. Thus ended the war 
between us and the Delawares in this quarter, much to our 
advantage, as the nations present said we were as brave as 
Indians and not afraid to put an enemy to death." 

After the great achievments accomplished by Clark in 
reducing the forts on the Mississippi, capturing' Vincennes 
and permanently establishing the Americans in control of all 
that portion of the Northwest territory from whence the 
raids were made up and started that were so disastrous to 
the scattered settlements on the borders of Kentucky south 
of the Ohio river; and after making treaties with the Indians 
at which he had no equal, the culminating feat that this hero 
wished to accomplish was to capture Detroit. That would 
have put a finishing stroke to the intrigues of the British 
agents around the great lakes, with the Indians. The ac- 
complishing of this would not have been attended with half 
the hardships that he and his arm}' had undergone. The 
French and half-breeds would all have been his allies and he 
would have had the influence of the lower Wabash Indians 
whom he had won over and who could have been controlled 
to aid him in pacifying the other Indians farther up the 
Wabash. Considering the favorable situation he was in, it 
is reasonable to suppose that he would have captured Detroit 
and brought all that section under the control of the Ameri- 
cans. The accomplishment of this great achievement, how- 
ever, was not to be. Virginia, at that time, was having 
many hurried calls for troops to aid the army in other quart- 



60 PIONEER HISTORY OF INDIANA. 

ers and the continental mone}- had become so depreciated that 
it was worth next to nothing-. Probably other military as- 
pirants were jealous of the great renown that Clark had won 
and were lukewarm in their support of anj^ measure that 
would give the needed help to carr}^ forward the enterprise 
that would still further have added to his heroic records 
Clark returned to the Falls of the Ohio in the last of the sum- 
mer of 1779. As he had ordered, the garrison that he had. 
left on Corn Island had already moved to Louisville and had 
built a stockade. He busied himself with the affairs for the 
defense of the countr}^ having a general supervision over the 
countr}' around the Falls and the territory he had captured.. 
Clark had the honor of being the founder of the city of Louis- 
ville. A well informed historian of that cit}' sa5's — "To 
Clark belongs the honor of founding that city as clearly as 
does the glor}^ of capturing Kaskaskia, Cahokia and Vin- 
cennes." 

Soon after his return from his great victor}- he drew a 
plan of the proposed town of Louisville and made a map of 
the public and private divisions of the land as he thought 
the}' ought to be established. This map is still preserved 
and shows the wonderful sagacity of General Clark. During, 
the time from 1779 to. 1781 he was busy with various military 
operations. One of these was building Fort Jefferson on the 
Mississippi river, four miles below the mouth of the Ohio.. 
This probably (though sanctioned by Jefferson and the Vir- 
ginia legislature) was a mistake as it brought on a war with 
the southern Indians. A Scotchman named Colbert organ- 
ized the Choctaw and Cherokee Indians and with one thous- 
and warriors attacked the fort. They lay for several days, 
beseiging it but in a night attack were repulsed with consid- 
erable loss. General Clark, coming to its relief, the siege 
was raised and the Indians went back to their towns. There 
were a great many raids by the Indians, some of them com- 
manded by British officers on our frontier. Many small bat- 
tles were fought between the marauders and the Americans, 
with about equal damag^e to the two parties. 

There was a loud call for volunteers to fight the invaders. 



PIONEER HISTORY OF INDIANA. 61 

and carry the war into their own country. Clark was put at 
the head of this expedition ajjainst Detroit. He was at the 
Falls of the Ohio, repaired to Fort Pitt and made every ef- 
fort to secure volunteers but met with many disappoint- 
ments. Finally he started down the river with four hundred 
men and in a few days was followed by Colonel Archibald 
Lochry with somethinjj over one hundred men. One place of 
g-eneral rendezvous was at Wheeling, Virg-inia. Clark waited 
five days and as he had met with so many disaj^pointments, 
concluded this was another and that Colonel Lochry had de- 
cided not to g"o on the expedition. In this he was unfortu- 
nately mistaken. Colonel Lochry coming to Wheeling found 
that Clark was gone and decided to follow on. On the 24th 
•of August, 1781, Colonel Lochry ordered the boats to land on 
the Indiana shore about ten miles below the Miami river and 
at the mouth of Lochry creek, the line between Dearborn 
and Ohio counties, to cook provisions and cut grass for iheir 
horses. 

Tradition has it that a hunting party which had been 
sent out to secure meat had killed a buffalo a little distance 
in the woods and the troops had landed to cook and prepare 
the meat and graze their horses, when they were fired on 
by a party of Indians that were in ambush not far from the 
bank. They took to their boats expecting to cross the river 
and were fired on by another party of Indians from the other 
shore. The Indians in large numbers swarmed on both banks 
of the river, waded into the shallow water and attacked the 
boats, killing fort}' of the men and capturing the rest. The 
Colonel and a number of his men were murdered after they 
had surrendered" This was a severe blow to all who were on 
that ill-fated expedition and all hope of a successful campaign 
againstDetroit was lost. 

Clark marched from Louisville overland, along the old 
Indian trace to Vincennes. On arriving there he found every- 
thing in a bad way. The greatest cause of all the trouble 
was the depreciation of the Colonial currency. Clark is ac- 
cused of drinking very hard at this time and many of his men 
deserted. 



62 PIONEER HISTORY OF INDIANA. 

During- the winter of 1782 Great Brittain and the United 
States made their provincial treat}' of peace and agreed to a 
cessation of hostilities. In consequence of this there was a 
period of rest along- our frontiers during the 3'ears 1783. '84 
and '85. During this period there was a determined effort 
made to secure treaties with the tribes of Indians north And 
northwest of the Ohio. Some of them accepted the offers of 
peace proffered by the treaties. The majority of the Indians 
were determined not to g-ive up their lands north of the Ohio 
river. The Americans were as determined to settle that sec- 
tion. The Indians formed themselves into a great Northern 
confederacy; nearly all the Indians joining in this movement 
and being- led b}' man}' of their g-reatest chiefs. There was 
a continual warfare and there was but little emig-ration of 
Am.ericans into that section for a dozen 3'ears. In 1783 Gen- 
eral Clark was dismissed from the service, or more properh' 
speaking, he was let ottt of the service of Virg-inia. There 
was no money to pay for anything and the authorities of that 
state in a spasm of retrenchment did this ungrateful act 
without considering- the g-reat service this fearless hero had 
done for them. On that occasion Benjamin Harrison, the 
Governor of Virgfinia. wrote to General ulark a letter which 
contained the following passag-e: — "'The conclusion of the 
war and the distressed situation of our state with respect to 
its finances calls on us to adopt the most prudent economy. 
It is for this reason alone that I have come to the determina- 
tion to give over all thought for the present of carrying- on 
an offensive war ag-ainst the Indians, which 3'ou will easily 
perceive will render the service of geiieral ofiicers in that 
qtiarter unnecessarj'. You will, therefore, consider yourself 
out of command, but before I take leave of you. I feel called 
upon, in the most forcible manner to return you my thanks 
and the thanks of the Jouncil for the very g-reat and sing-ular 
service 3'ou have rendered 3'our country in wresting- so g-reat 
and valuable a territory out of the hands of the British enemy, 
repelling the attacks of their savage allies and carr3nng- on a 
successful war in the heart of their countrv. This tribute of 
praise and thanks so justh' due I am happ3' to commu- 



PIONEER HISTORY OF INDIANA. f>3 

nicate to you as the united Voice of tlie Rxecuiive— '* 
General Clark was out of the service hut wiien trouble 
came with the Indians in 178^) there was no one to lake his 
place. In this year they were upon the war-path and mur- 
dered a g-ood man}' white persons, some of these takinj^ place 
around Vincennes and others in the new settlement being- 
made near Clarksville. A strong military force was raised in 
Kentucky for the purpose of attacking- the Indians on the 
Wabash. About one thousand men under the command of 
General (reorg-e Rog-ers Clark marched from the Falls of the 
Ohio for Post Vincennes and arrived in the neighborhood of 
that place early in the month of October where they lay in 
camp for several days waiting: the arrival of some military 
stores and ]irovisions which had been shipped on keel boats 
from Louisville and Clarksville. When ihe boats arrived at 
Post Vincennes, it was found that most of the provision was 
spoiled and that part which had been l)rought with the com- 
mand overland was almost exhausted. These misfortunes 
soon made a spirit of discontent which daily increased. The 
Kentucky troops having been reinforced by a number at Post 
Vincennes, were ordered to move up the Wabash river toward 
the Indian lowns which lay in the vicinity of the ancient post 
of Ouiatenon. The people of these lowns had learned of the 
approach of the Kentuckians and had selected the place 
among ihe defiles of Pine creek for an ambuscade. On reach- 
ing ihe neighborhood of the Vermillion river it was found 
that the Indians had desened their village on that stream 
near its junction with the Wabash. At this crisis, when ihe 
spirits of the officers and men were depressed by disai)i)oint- 
ment, hungfer and fatigue, some person circulated ihrough 
the camp a rumor that (ieneral Clark had sent a Hag of iruce 
to the Indians with the t)ffer of peace or war. This rumor 
combined with the lamentable change which had taken phice 
in the once temperate, energetic and commanding character 
of Clark, excited among- the troopers a si)irit oi insubordina- 
tion which neither the command nor entreaties, nor the tears 
of the (General, could subdue. At that encamptnent, about 
tliree hundred men in a l)ody. left the army and i)roceeded on 



'64 PIONEER HISTORY OF INDIANA. 

their wa}- homeward. The remainder of the troops under the 
•command of General Clark, then abandoned the expedition 
and returned to Post Vincennes. 

In this same month of October a board composed of field 
officers in the Wabash expedition, met in council at Post 
Vincennes and unanimously agreed that a g-arrison at that 
place would be of essential service to the district of Kentuck}' 
and that supplies mig-ht be had in the district more than suf- 
ficient for their support, b}- impressment or otherwise, under 
the direction of a commissar}' to be appointed for that pur- 
pose, pursuant to the authorit}' invested in the field officers 
of the district bj- the executive of Virginia. The same board 
appointed John Craig-, Jr., a commissar}' of purchase and re- 
solved that one field officer and two hundred and fifty men, 
exclusive of a company of artillery, commanded by Captain 
Dalton, be recruited to garrison the Post and that Colonel 
John Holder be appointed to command the troops in this ser- 
vice in order to carry these resolutions into effect. General 
Clark, who assumed the supreme direction of the corps, be- 
gan to levy recruits, appoini officers and impress provision 
for the support of a garrison at Post Vincennes. He sent 
messengers to the Indian tribes that lived on the borders of 
the Wabash and invited these tribes to meet him in Council 
at Clarksville on the 20ih of November, 1786, and make a 
treaty of peace and friendship. The chiefs of the different 
bands sent word to General Clark that they were willing to 
meet him in council, not at Clarksville but at Post Vincennes. 
The following is an extract from their answer — 

"My elder Brother: — Thou ought to know the 
place we have been accustomed to speak at. It is at 
Post Vincennes. There our chiefs are laid; there 
our ancestors bed is and that of our father, the 
French and not at Clarksville where you require us 
to meet you. We don't know such a place, but at 
Post Vincennes where we always went when necess- 
ary to hold council. My elder Brother, thou inform- 
est me I must meet you at the place I have mentioned 
yet thou seest, my Brother, that the season is far ad- 
vanced and ihat i would not have time to invite my 



PIONEER HISTORY OF INDIANA. 65 

allies to come to your council, which we pray you to 
hold at Post Vincennes." 

In replying- to this message and to other communications 
of similar nature General Clark said — 

"I propose the last of April, 1787, for the grand 
council to be held at this place. Post Vincennes, 
where I expect all those who are inclined to open 
the road will appear and we can soon discover what 
the Deity means." 

For a long period after General Clark was let out of the 
service of Virginia, he was called upon by the United States 
to act as a Commissioner in almost all the treaties made be- 
tween the United States and the Indians. 

There is an amusing story related about the treaty of 
Fort Mackintosh on the Ohio river in 1785. The great Chief 
of the Delawares, Buckongehelas, was present and took part 
in the treaty. After the other chiefs had addressed the 
United States Commisssioners who were Generals Georg^e 
Rogers Clark, Arthur Lee and Richard Butler, Buckongehelas 
arose and not noticing Lee or Butler, went to General Clark 
and took him by the hand saj'ing — "I thank the Great Spirit 
for having this day brought together two such great warriors 
as Buckongehelas and General Clark." This may have shown 
too much self-appreciation on the part of this great Indian, 
but it was recorded that he possessed all the (jualities of a 
great man and never violated a treaty nor an engagement. 

On the last day of January, 1785, General Clark. Richard 
Butler and Samuel Parsons were appointed United States 
Commissioners to negotiate a treaty with the Shawnees and 
other Indians. At this treaty an incident occurred that 
showed Clark's fearless character and was a striking instance 
of his ascendancy over the minds of the Indians and also 
showed the characteristics which gave him that ascendancy. 
The Indians came to the treaty at Fort Washington in a 
most friendly manner, except the Shawnees, the most con- 
ceited and warlike of the aborigines — "the tirst at the battle 
and the last at the treaty." Three hundred of their finest 
warriors set off in all their paint and feathers tiled into the 



66 PIONEER HISTORY OF INDIANA. 

council house. Their number and demeanor so unusual at 
an occasion of this sort was altogether unexpected and sus- 
picious. The United States stockade mustered seventy men. 
In the center of the hall at a little table, sat the Com- 
missioners, one of them General Clark, the indefatigable 
scourg-e of these ver}^ marauders, also General Butler, Mr. 
Parsons and a Captain Denny being present. On the part of 
the Indians an old councilsachem and a war chief took the 
lead. The latter, a tall, raw-boned fellow with an impudent 
and a villainous look, made a boisterous and threatening 
speech which operated effectively on the passions of the 
Indians who set up a prodigious whoop at every pause. He 
concluded by presenting a black and white wampum to sig- 
nify that they were prepared for either event, peace or war. 
Clark exhibited the same unaliering and careless countenance 
he had shown during the whole scene, his head leaning on 
his left hand, his elbow resting on the table. He raised his 
little cane and pushed the sacred wampum off the table with 
very little ceremony. Every Indian at the same time started 
from his seat with one of those sudden simultaneous and pe- 
culiarly savage sounds which startles and disconcerts the 
stoutest hearts and can neither be described nor forgotten. At 
this juncture Clark arose, the scrutinizing eye cowered at his 
glance. He stamped his foot on the prostrating and insult- 
ing symbol and ordered the Shawnees to leave the hall. 
They did so apparently involuntarily and were heard all 
night debating in the bushes near the fort. The raw-boned 
Chief was for war and the old Sachem for peace. The laiier 
prevailed and the next morning ihey came back and ^ued for 
peace. 

General Clark no doubt had faults — all men do but his 
heart was in his work and everything he accomplished was 
for the advancement of the interest of the Country he loved 
so well. He was ever ready to risk his life for it and its peo- 
ple. No man who was acquainted with the facts of General 
Clark's business affairs with the United States ever offered a 
doubt as to his integrity. His only fault was intemperance 
which ruined him. 



PIONEER HISTORY OF INDIANA. 67 

In the early nineties when the Indians had become very 
troublesome throug-hout the Northwest, there was great need 
of a competent commander who understood the Indians and 
Indian warfare. Many turned to Clark's record and longfed 
for such another man. Thomas Jefferson wrote Mr. Innis, 
of Keiituck} — "Will it not be possible for you to brinj^ General 
Clark forward? I know the j^reatness of his mind and am the 
more mortified at the cause that obscures it. Had not this 
unhappily taken place there was nothing he might not have 
hoped. Could it be surmounted his lost ground might yet be 
recovered. No man alive rated him higher than I did and 
would again were he to become once more what I knew him." 

It is not too much to say that, liad it not been for Gen- 
eral Clark, all the Northwest Terrilor}-, at least would have 
been in the hands of the British at the close of the Revolu- 
tionar}' war and would have become British property. At 
the treaty of Paris it was hard work to hold it. France and 
Spain were opposed to the boundary of the United States 
coming west of the Alleghan}' mountains or at most the.v be- 
lieved that the land between the Ohio and the Cumberland 
rivers should be all the possession they should hold west of the 
mountains. Congress, in a spirit of submission, advised our 
three commissioners. Benjamin Franklin, John Adams and 
John Jay, to take no step without the knowledge and consent of 
France. Franklin was inclined to obey these instructions but 
Adams and Jay boldly insisted in disregarding them; conse- 
quently the treaty was made with England without the dic- 
tates of France. 

A few years ago in the State House at Indianapolis, a 
body of men were assembled who have the great blessings 
of a free government with the rich boon of American laws 
and American independence and the libert}' of being gov- 
erned by the votes of the people, guaranteed to them by the 
blood of heroism and generalship of the leaders and soldiers 
of the Revolution; and to none, so far as Indiana is concerned, 
do the)' owe as much as to General George Rogers Clark. 
The question this assembly was considering was — should 
George Rogers Clark have a five thousand dollar monument. 



68 PIONEER HISTORY OF INDIANA. 

The motion was acted upon adverse!}'. This, considering- the 
events that secured the great states of Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, 
Michigan, Wisconsin and Minnesota to the United States by 
the heroism and unparalelled bravery of the same General 
Georg-e Rog-ers Clark, places these law-makers in an unenvia- 
ble light. 

Clark continued to live at his little home in Clarksville 
until 1814 when he moved to his sister's, Mrs. William Crog- 
han, at Locust Grove near Louisville, Kentucky and lived 
there until the day of his death which occurred on the twen- 
ty-third da)' of Februar}', 1818. His achievements were those 
of a hero and will have but few paralells in our countr)-'s 
historv. 



CHAPTER III. 



THE TERRITORY CAPTURED BY GENERAL CLARK 

FROM 1779 TO THE ORGANIZATION OF 

THE NORTHWEST TERRITORY. 



General Todd's Proclamation — The Court of Vincennes 
— Virginia Cedes Northwest Possessions to the 
United States — Town of Clarksville Laid off — 
Deed of Cession — Ordinance of 1787, 



In the 3'ear 1779 General John Todd, who had a commis- 
sion as Count}' Lieutenant from the colony of Virginia, came 
to the settlements captured bj' Clark and, in accordance with 
an act of the Virginia legislature, issued a proclamation con- 
cerning- the settlements and titles of the land in the southern 
and western part of what afterward became the Northwest 
Territor}'. The proclamation read as follows: 



"ILLINOIS county} To Wit: 



"Whereas, From the fertility and beautiful situation of 
the lands bordering on the Mississippi, Ohio, Illinois and 
Wabash rivers, the taking up of the usual quantity of land 
heretofore allowed for a settlement b}' the government of 
Virginia would both injure both the strength and commerce 
of the country — 

"I Do Therefore issue this proclamation, strictly en- 
joining all persons whatsoever from making any new settle- 
ments upon the flat lands of the said rivers or within one 
league of said lands unless in manner and form of settlements. 



70 IIONEER HISTORY OF INDIANA. 

as heretofore made b}- the French inhabitant, until further 
orders herein given. 

"And in order that all claims to lands in said count}- may 
be full}- known and some method provided for perpetuating- 
by record, the just claims, every inhabitant is required, as 
soon as conveniently may be to lay before the person, in each 
district, appointed for the purpose, a memorandum of his or 
her land with copies of all their vouchers and where vouch- 
ers have never been given or are lost, such depositions or cer- 
tificates as will tend to support their claims; the memorandum 
to mention the quantity of land, to whom originally granted 
and when; deducing the title through the various occupants, 
to the present possessor. The number of adventurers who 
will shortly over-run this country renders the above method 
necessary, as well to ascertain the vacant lands as to guard 
against trespasses which will probably be committed on 
lands not on record. 

"Given under my hand and seal at Kaskaskia, the 15th 
of June in the third year of the Commonwealth. 1779. 

(Signed) John Todd, Jr." 

For the preservation of peace and the administration of 
of justice, a court of civil and criminal jurisdiction was or- 
ganized at Vincennes in June, 1779. The court was com- 
posed of several magistrates. Colonel J. M. P. Legrass, who 
had received the appointment of Commander of the Post Vin- 
cennes, acted as the president of this new court and exercised 
a controlling influence over the proceedings. Following after 
the usages of the early commanders of the French posts in 
the west, the magistrates of the court at Vincennes com- 
menced to grant tracts of land to the French and American 
inhabitants of the town and to the officers, both civil and mil- 
itary, of the county. The court assumed the power of grant- 
ing lands to all applicants and at the end of the year 1783 
there had been twenty-six thousand acres granted. From 
1783 to '87, when General .Harmor stopped the granting of 
land by the Vincennes court, there had been twenty-two 
thousand acres more granted by that court to individual ap- 
plicants. The commander of the post and the magistrates 



PIONEER HISTORY OF INDIANA. 71 

over whom he presided, formed the opinion that the)' were 
invested with the authority of all the land in that region 
which had in 1742 been granted by the Piankashaw Indians 
to the inhabitants of Post Vincennes for their use. Accord- 
ingly, an arrangement was made by this greed}' court where- 
by the whole country in which the Indian title was supposed 
to be extinguished was divided between the members of the 
court and orders to that effect were put on record. In order 
to have the appearance of modest}' each member of the court 
absented himself on the day the order was to be made in his 
favor. 

At the close of the Revolutionary War the United States 
was deeply in debt and without an}' resources to pay with 
except what could be derived from the sale of lands west of 
the Alleghany Mountains. The title of this domain was 
claimed by a number of the colonies and states as their char- 
ters extended their limits to any land acijuired on their west. 
Virginia set up a special claim on account of her conquest 
and the retaining of posessions through General George 
Rogers Clark to all the land of the Northwest Territory. To 
this the other states demurred and said that as they all joined 
together for a common defense, that whatever was gained by 
conquest should be shared equally by all. There was so much 
justice in this that Virginia deeded her northwest possessions 
to the United States. 

By an act of the seventh of January, 1781, the General As- 
sembly of Virginia resolved that on certain conditions they 
would cede to Congress, for the benefit of the United States, 
all the right, title and claim which Virginia had to the terri- 
tory northwest of the River Ohio. Congress, by an act of the 
13th of September, 1783, agreed to accept the cession of the ter- 
ritory and the General Assembly of Virginia on the 2Uth of 
December, the same year, passed an act authorizing their del- 
egates in Congress to convey to the United States, the right, 
title and claim of Virginia to the lands northwest of the 
River Ohio. 

In October, 1783, the General Assembly of Virginia 
passed an act laying off the town of Clarksville at the Falls 



72 PIONEER HISTORY OF INDIANA. 

of the Ohio in the county of Illinois. The act provided that 
the lots of half an acre each should be sold at public auction 
for the best price that could be obtained. The purchasers 
were to hold their lots subject to the condition of building on 
them within three years of the date of sale, a dwelling- 
house, twent)' feet by eighteen with a brick or stone chimney. 
William Fleming-, John Edwards, John Campbell, Walker 
Daniel, George R. Clark, Abraham Chaplin, John Mont- 
gomery, John Bailey, Robert Todd and William Clark were, 
by the act of the assembly, constituted trustees for the town 
of Clarksville. 

On the first day of March, 1784, Thomas Jefferson, Sam- 
uel Hard}', Arthur Lee and James Monroe, delegates in con- 
gress on the part of Virginia, executed a deed of cession by 
which they deeded to the United States, on certain conditions, 
all the right, title and claim of Virginia to the country north- 
west the River Ohio. The deed contained the following con- 
ditions — "The territory so ceded shall be laid out and formed 
into states containing a suitable amount of territory, not less 
than one hundred nor more than one hundred and fifty miles 
square or as near that amount as circumstances will admit 
and the states so formed shall be distinct Republican states 
and admitted members of the Federal Union having the same 
rights of sovereignty, freedom and independence as the other 
states. The necessary and reasonable expenses incurred b}" 
Virginia in subduing any British post or in maintaining forts 
and garrisons for the defense or in acquiring an}' part of the 
territory that is here ceded and relinquished, shall be fully 
reimbursed b}^ the United States. The French and Canadian 
inhabitants and other settlers of Kaskaskia, Post Vincennes 
and the neighboring villages who have professed themselves 
citizens of Virginia shall have their possessions and titles 
confirmed to them and be protected in the enjoyment of their 
rights and liberties. A quantity not exceeding one hundred 
and fifty thousand acres of land, promised by Virginia, shall 
be allowed and granted to the then Colonel and now General, 
George Rogers Clark and to the officers and soldiers of his 
regiment who marched with him when the posts of Kaskas- 



PIONEER HISTORY OF INDIANA. 73: 

kia and Vincennes were reduced and to the officers and sol- 
diers who have since been incorporated into the said regi- 
ment; to be laid oflF in one tract the leng-th of which shall 
not exceed double the breadth, in such a place on the north- 
west side of the Ohio as a majorit}* of the officers shall choose 
and to be afterward divided among the officers and soldiers 
in due proportion according to the laws of Virginia. In case 
the quantity of good lands on the southeast side of the Ohio on 
the waters of the Cumberland river, between Green river and 
Tennessee river which have been reserved b}' law for the Vir- 
ginia troops upon continental establishment, should, from the 
North Carolina line, bearing in farther on the Cumberland 
lands than was expected, prove insufficient for their legal 
bounties, the deficienc}' shall be made up to the said troops in 
good lands to be laid oflF between the River Scioto and Little 
Miami river on the northwest side of the River Ohio in such 
proportions as has been engaged to them b^- the laws of Vir- 
ginia. 

"All the lands within the territory- so ceded to the 
United States and not reserved for or appropriated to any of 
the before mentioned purposes or disposed of in bounties to 
the officers and soldiers of the American arm}-, shall be con- 
sidered as common funds for the use and benefits of such of 
the United States as have become or shall become, members 
of the confederation of Federal alliances of the said state of 
Virginia inclusive, according to their usual respective propor- 
tions in the general charge and expenditure; and shall be 
faithfully and bonafide disposed of for that purpose and for 
no other use or purpose whatsoever." 

In the spring of 1784, after the deed of cession had been 
accepted by Congress, the subject of future government of the 
territory was referred to a committee consisting of Messrs. 
Jefferson, of Virginia, Chase, of Maryland and Howie, of 
Rhode Island. The committee reported an ordinance for the 
government for the territory northwest of the River Ohio. 
The ordinance declared that after the year 1800 there should 
be neither slavery nor involuntary servitude otherwise than 
in the punishment of crimes in any of the states to be formed 



74 PIONEER HISTORY OP INDIANA. 

out of said territor}^ This provision of the ordinance was 
rejected but on the 23rd of April, 1784, Congress, by a series 
of resolutions provided for the maintenance of temporary 
government in the country which the United States had 
acquired northwest of the Ohio. 

Soon after Virginia had deeded her lands northwest of 
the River Ohio to the United States, General Rufus Putnam 
and others organized a Massachusetts Company which had 
for its purpose the purchase of a large body of land in what 
is now the state of Ohio. Continental money had become 
very cheap, worth from fifteen to seventeen cents on the dol- 
lar. The Company had secured enough of it to pa}' for one 
and one-half million acres of land. Reverend Manassa Cut- 
ler, their agent had also intrusted to his care for other par- 
ties a large amount of this money, in all, enough to purchase 
five and one-half million acres of land. As this would ma- 
teriall}' reduce the national debt, the administration of the 
United States was in favor of it. At that time Massachusetts 
owned the Territory of Maine which she was trying to sell 
and was opposed to the opening of the Northwest Territory. 
This put Virginia on her mettle and the South all sided with 
her. Dr. Cutler had come on to New York to lobby for the 
Northwest Territory. The South caught the inspiration and 
rallied around him. Massachusetts was in a peculiar situa- 
tion: she was opposed to the proposition but could not vote 
against it as many of her citizens were largely interested in 
the western purchase. Thus Dr. Cutler was able to command 
the situation. True to the convictions of his heart he dic- 
tated one of the most complete documents of good statesman- 
ship that has ever adorned our law-book. The important sec- 
tion were as follows — 

"l. The exclusion of slaver}^ forever from the Northwest 
Territory. 

"2. Provision for Public Schools. Section No. 16 in 
each township of thirty-six square miles will be retained and 
sold for the benefit of the Public Schools. 

"3. A provision prohibiting the adoption of any consti- 
tution or the enactment of any law that shall nullify pre-ex- 



PIONEER HISTORY OF INDIANA. T5 

isting- contracts. Be it forever remembered that this compact 
declares religion, morality and knowledge are necessar}' to 
good government and the happiness of mankind and there- 
fore schools and the means of education shall alwaj-s be en- 
couraged." 

Dr. Cutler planted himself squarely upon this platform 
and would not yield, giving his un(}uallified declaration that 
it was that or nothing. That unless the holders of the terri- 
tory could make the land desirable the) — the purchasers — 
did not want it. 

On the 13th day of July, 1787, the bill was put on its 
passage and was unanimously adopted. Thus the great 
states of Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Michigan, Wisconsin and 
Minnesota, a mighty empire, were dedicated to freedom, in- 
telligence and morality. 



CHAPTER IV. 



The Northwest Territory Organized — Laws Govern- 
ing iT.^ — Governor St. Clair and the Indians — Mil- 
itia Established and Civil and Military Officers 
Appointed — Laws Adopted at Vincennes — Defeat of 
St. Clair's Army by Indians— General Wayne's Vic- 
tory Near the Maumee — First Territorial Legis- 
lature. 



On the fifth of October, 1787, Major General Arthur St> 
Clair was elected b)- Congress governor of the territor}- of the 
United States northwest of the River Ohio. By the first in- 
structions which Governor St. Clair received from Congress 
in 1788 he was authorized and directed — first, to examine 
carefull}^ into the real temper of the Indians. Second — To re- 
move, if possible, all cause of controversy so that peace and. 
harmony might be established between the United States and 
the Indian tribes. Third — To regulate trade among the In- 
dians. Fourth — To neglect no opportunity that might offer 
of extinguishing the Indian right to land westward as far as 
the River Mississippi and northward as far as the completion 
of the forty-first degree of north latitude. Fifth — To use 
ever}' possible endeavor to ascertain the names of the real 
head men and warriors of the several tribes and to attach 
these men to the United States by every possible means. 
Sixth — To make every exertion to defeat all confederations 
and combinations among the tribes and to conciliate the 
white people inhabitating the frontiers toward the Indians.. 

In the month of July, 1788 Governor St. Clair arrived at 
the new town of Marietta at the mouth of the Muskingum 



PIONEER HISTORY OF INDIANA. 77 

river, where he beg-an to organize the g-overnment of the 
Northwest Territory in accordance with the provisions of the 
ordinance of 1787. At Marietta, in the county of Washing- 
ton before the close of the year 1788, the Governor and 
judges of the General Court of the Territor) — Samuel Hol- 
den Parsons, James Mitchel Varnum and John Cleave Simms, 
adopted and published various laws under the following 
titles: 

1. A law for regulating and establishing the militia in 
the territory of the United States northwest of the River 
Ohio. 

2. A law for establishing general courts of the peace of 
quarter sessions (and therein the powers of single justices); 
and for establishing county courts of common pleas (and 
therein of the power of single judges to hear and determine 
upon small debts and contracts); and also a law for estab- 
lishing the ofl&ce of sheriff and for the appointment of sher- 
iffs — Published on the 23d of August. 

3. A law establishing a court of probate — Published on 
the 30th of August. 

4. A law for fixing the terms of the general court of 
the territory of the United States, northwest of the River 
Ohio — Published on the 30th of August. This law was made 
in the following words — 

"The general court for the territory of the 
United States northwest of the River Ohio, shall 
hold pleas civil and criminal at four certain periods 
or terms in each and every year in such counties as 
the judges shall from time to time deem most con- 
ducive to the general good, they giving timely 
notice of the place of their sitting on the first Mon- 
days of February, May, October and December, pro- 
vided, however that but one term be held in any one 
county in a year, and all processes, civil and crim- 
inal, shall be returnable to said court wherever they 
may be in said territory. And as circumstances may 
so intervene as to prevent the session of the Court at 
the time and place fi.xed upon, it shall and may be 
lawful for the Court to adjourn from time to time b}' 
writ directed to the sheriff of the countv and to con- 



78 PIONEER HISTORY OF INDIANA. 

tinue all processes accordingl)'; and in case neither of 
the judges shall attend at the time and place afore- 
said and no writ be received by the sheriff, it shall 
be his dut}' to adjourn the court from da}- to da}- dur- 
ing the first six da3"s of the term and then to the 
next term to which all processes shall be continued 
as aforesaid; provided, however, that all issues in 
fact shall be tried in the count}' where the case of 
action shall have risen." 

5. A law respecting- oath of office. Published on the 
2d of September. 

6. A law respecting crimes and punishments. Pub- 
lished on the 6th of September. By this statute the crimes 
of treason, murder and houseburning in case where death en- 
sues from such burning, were respectivel}' punished by death. 
The crimes of burgalry and robber}- were punishable by 
whipping, not exceeding thirty-nine stripes; fine and im- 
prisonment for any term not exceeding forty years. For the 
crime of perjury the offender was punishable by a fine not ex- 
ceeding sixty dollars or whipping not exceeding thirty-nine 
lashes, disfranchisement and standing in the pillory for a 
space of time not exceeding two hours. Larceny was pun- 
ished by fine or whipping at the discretion of the court. If 
the convict could not pay the fine of the court it was lawful 
for the sheriff, by the direction of the court to bind such con- 
victs to labor for a term not exceeding seven years to any 
suiiable person who could pay such fines. Fo gery was pun- 
ishable by fine and disfranchisement and standing in the pil- 
lory for a space of lime not exceeding three hours. For 
drunkenne; s ihe law was as follows: 

— "if any person shall be convicied of drunken- 
ness befoie one or more justices of ihe peace, the per- 
son so convicted shall be fined for the first offense 
the sum of five dimes and for every succeeding offense 
upon conviction the sum of one dollar. In either case 
if the offender neglects or refuses to pay the fine, he 
shall be sei in ihe siocks for ihe space of one hour, 
provided, however, ihai complainis be made to the 
jusiice or justices within iwo days afier the offense 
shall have been committed. 



PIONEER HISTORY OF INDIANA. 79 

"Whereas, idle, vain and and obscene conversa- 
tion; profane cursinjj- and swearin«i- and more especi- 
ally the irreverently mentioninj^', calling: ui>on, or in- 
vokinjif the sacred and Supreme Beinj; by any of the 
divine characters in which He has y^raciously conda- 
scended to reveal His intinhely beneficent purpose to 
mankind, are repuji:nant to every moral seniiment, 
subversive to every civil obliy-ation, inconsistent with 
the ornaments of polished life and abhorrent to the 
principles of the most benevolent relij^fion; 

"It is Expected, Therekoke, If crime of this 
kind should exist it will not find encouraj^-ement, 
countenance or approbation in this territory. It is 
strictly enjoined on all officers and ministers of jus- 
tice, upon parents and other heads of families and 
upon others of every description, thafthev abstain 
from practices so Vile and irrational and that b}' ex- 
ample and precept, to the utmost of their power, 
they prevent the necessity of adoptint^- and publish- 
ing laws with penalties upon this head. 

"And it is Hekeby Declared that the govern- 
ment will consider as unworth}' its confidence all 
those who may obstinately violate these injunctions. • 

"Whereas, mankind in every stage of informed 
society has consecrated certain portions of time to 
the particular cultivation of social virtues and the 
public adoration and worship of the Common Parent 
of the Universe, and whereas a practice so rational* 
in itself and conformable to the divine precepts is 
greatly conducive to civilization as well as to moral- 
ity and piety; and whereas for the advancement of 
such imi)ortant and interesting purpose, most of the 
Christian world has set apart the first day of the 
week as a day of rest from common labor a id pursuits; 

"It is Hereby Therefore Enjjined that all 
servile labor, works of necessity and charity only ex- 
cepted, be wholly abstained from on said day." 

7. A law regulating mariages. The ihird e.iion of 
this law was as follows: 

"Previously to persons being joined in marriage 
as aforesaid, the intention of the parties shall be 
made known by the puldishing of ihe same for the 
space of fifteen days at the least, either by the same 
being publicly and openly declared three several Sun- 



*S0 PIONEER HISTORY OF INDIANA. 

days, holy day days or other days of public worship 
in the meeting- in the towns where the parties res- 
pectively belong- or by publication in writing under 
the hands and seal of one of the judges before men- 
tioned or of a justice of the peace within the county, 
to be affixed in some public place in the town where- 
in the parties respectively dwell or a license shall be 
obtained of the Governor under his hand and seal, 
authorizing the marriage of the parties without pub- 
lication as is in this law before required." 

8. A law in addition to a law entitled — "A law for 
reg-ulating- and establishing the militia in the territory of the 
River Ohio." Published on the 23rd of November. 

9. A law appointing coroners. Published on the 21st 
of December. 

10. A law limiting the time of commencing civil action 
and instituting criminal prosecutions. 

After the session of the court of Marietta was concluded 
and the laws for the government of the Territory passed, 
Governor St. Clair, accompanied by the judges, made a visit 
to the western part of his Territory for the purpose of organ- 
izing a civil government. Before this he had sent instruc- 
tions to Major Hamtramck, the Commander at Vincennes, 
directing him, through the agency of friendly Indians that 
were well known among the Piankashaws, to find out all he 
could about the Indian tribes along the Wabash. He accom- 
panied this instruction with a speech for each of the tribes 
which the Major sent to them by Antoine Gamelin, a French- 
man, as a special envoy who understood the language of 
nearly all the tribes of Indians on the Wabash. Gamelin's 
wife was the daughter of the head chief of the Ouiatenons 
and through that influence it was hoped that his mission 
would be successful. 

Gamelin visited many tribes of Indians and after friendly 
council with them, delivered the speeches. In his route he 
went as far eastward as the Miami village of Kekionga which 
stood where Ft. Wayne now stands. Gamelin's report will 
best show the disposition of the Indians toward the Ameri- 
cans. 



PIONEER HISTORY OF INDIANA. 81 

"The first villa«j-e I arrived at," says Gamelin, "is called 
Kikapoujjuoi. The name of the chief of this village is 
called Les Jambes Croches. He and hi-s tribe have a good 
heart and accepted the si)eech. The second village is a,t the 
River Vermillion, called Piankashaw. The first chief and all 
the warriors were well pleased with th^ speech concerning 
peace but they said they coukl not give i)resently a proper 
answer, before they consulted the Miami nation, their eldest 
brethren. They desired me to proceed to the Miami town, 
Kekionga, and when coming back let them know what recep- 
tion I got from them. The said head cliief told me that he 
thought the nations of the lake had a bad heart and were ill- 
disi)osed for the Americans and that the speeches would not be 
received particularly by the Shawnees at Miamitown. On the 
eleventh of April I reached a tribe of the Kickapoos. The 
head chief and all the warriors being assembled, I gave them 
two branches of white wampum, with the speeches of His 
Excellency, Arthur St. Clair, and those of Major Hamtramck. 
It must be observed that the speeches had been in another hand 
before mine. The messengers could not proceed further than 
the Vermillion on account of some private wrangle between 
the interpreter and some chief men of the tribes. Moreover 
someihing in the speech displeased them very much; it was 
that i>oriion included in the third article which says — 'I do 
now make you the offer of peace — accept it or reject it as you 
please." These words seemed to disi)lease all tribes to whom 
the first messenger was sent. They told me that they were 
menacing and finding that it might have a bad effect, I took 
it ui)()n myself to exclude ihem and after making some ai)ol- 
ogy they answered that they and their tribe were pleased 
with my si)eech and that I could go on without danger but 
they could not pre^enily give me an answer, having some 
warriors absent and without consulting the Ouiatenons, the}' 
being the owners of the land. They desired me to stop at 
Quiiepiconnae < Tippecanoe) saying that they would have the 
chief and warriors of the Ouiatenons and those of their na- 
tion as^embled there and I would receive a j^roper answer. 
They said that they expected by me a draught of milk from 



82 PIONEER HISTORY OF INDIANA. 

the Great Chief and the commanding officer of the Post, to- 
put the old people in a good humor; also some powder and 
balls for the 3^oung- men for hunting- and to get some good 
broth for their women and children — that I should know a 
bearer of speeches should never be with empt^' hands. The}' 
promised to keep their 3'oung men from stealing and to send 
speeches to their nations in the prairies to do the same. 

"The 14th of April, the Ouiatenons and the Kickapoos 
were assembled. After m}' speech one of the head chiefs got 
up and told me — 'Oh Gamelin, m}' friend and son-in-law, we 
are pleased to see 3-ou in our village and to hear b)' _your 
mouth the good words of the Greac Chief. We thought to 
receive a few words from the French people but I see the con- 
trary. None but the Big Knife is sending speeches to us. 
You know that we can terminate nothing without the consent 
of our brethren, the Miamis. I invite you to proceed to their 
village and speak to them. There is one thing in your speech 
I do not like. I will not tell of it; even were I drunk I would 
perceive it but our elder brothers will certain!}- take notice of 
it in your speech. You invite us lO SLOp our 3'oung men. It 
is impossible to do it, they being constant!}' e.xouraged by 
the British.' Another chief arose and said — "The Americans 
are very flattering in their speeches. Many times our nation 
went to iheir rendezvous. I was once ir.yseif. Some of our 
chiefs died on the route and we always came back all naked 
and you, Gamelin, you come wuh speeches wi^h empty 
hand^.' Another one said to his young men — 'If v/e are poor 
an:! d essed in deer skins, it is our own fault. Our . .e ich 
traders are leaving our villages becau.^e you plunder the;n 
every day, and it is time for us lo have another conduct.' 
Still another one expressed himself as follows — Know ye 
that the village of Ouiatenon is the sepulcher c f (.-ur ances- 
tors? The chief of the Americans inviies us to go to him if 
we are for peace. He has not his leg broken, having been able 
to go as far as the Illinois. He might come here himself and 
we should be glad to see him at ou ; village. We confess that 
we accepted the ax but it is by the reproach we continually 
receive from the English and other nations, which receive the 



PIONEER HISTORY OF INDIANA. 83 

ax first, calliiitr us women. At the present time they invite 
our youny: men to war. As toour old i)eople, they are wishing 
for peace.' They could not {^ive me an answer before they 
received advice from the Miamis, their elder brothers. 

*"On the 18ih of April I arrived at the River L'Anji^uille 
(Eel riv'er ), at a point five or six miles above the place where 
ii flows into the Wabash. The Indian villajre located there 
was near or where Logansport, Indiana, now is. The chief 
of the villa^'-e and those of war were not present. I explained 
the s])eech lo some of the tribes. They said they were well 
pleased, but could not give me an answer, their chief men be- 
ing absent. They desired me to stop at their village coming 
back. They sent with me one of their young men to hear 
the answer of their eldest brethren. On the 23d of April I 
arrived at the Miami town. The next day I goi the Miamis, 
the Shawnees and the Delawares all assembled. I gave 
to each naiioi iwo b-inches of wa npum 'x:v\ began ihe 
speeches, Oeiore me r rencn and English traders who were 
invited by the chiefs to be present, I having lokl ihem my- 
self that I should be glad to have them pre^tni since I 
had nothing to say against anybody. After ihe speeches I 
showed them the treaty concluded at Muskingum ( Ft. Har- 
mor ) between his Excellency, Governor St. Clair, and sundry 
nations. This displeased them. I lold them that the ])ur- 
pose at this present time was not to submit them to any con- 
ditions but to offer them the peace, which made their dis- 
pleasure disappear. The great chief told me thai he was 
pleased with the speech and cliat: he soon would give me an 
answer. In a j^rivate discourse w^itli him he told me not lo 
mind what the Shawnees would tell me, they having a bad 
heart and being the pertubators of all the nations. He said 
the Miamis had a bad name on account of mischief done on 
the River Ohio but he told me it was not occasioned by his 
young men, but by the Shawnees. his young men having 
only gone for a hunt. 

"On the 2.=ith of Ai)ril. Blue Jacket, chief warrior of the 
Shawnees, invited me to go to his house and there said tc) me 
— "Mv friend, bv the name and consent of the Shawnees and 



84 PIONEER HISTORY OF INDIANA. 

and Delawares, I will speak to 30U. We are all sensible of 
3"0iir speech and pleased with it but, after consultation, we 
cannot g^ive 5'ou an answer without hearing- from our Father at 
Detroit and we are determined to grive j-ou back the two 
branches of wampum and to send 3'ou to Detroit to see and 
hear the chief or to sta}' here twent}- nig-hts to receive his 
answer. From all quarters we receive speeches from the 
Americans and no two are alike. We suppose that thev in- 
tend to deceive us. Then take back 3'our branches of wampum.' 

"The 26th of April live Pottawattomies arrived here wiih 
two negfro men whom they sold to Eng-liah traders. The 
next da}' I went to the g-reat chief of the Miamis, called Le- 
Gris. his chief warriers also being present with him. I told 
him how I had been served by the Shawnees. He answered 
me that he had heard of it and said that nation behaved 
contrary to his intention. He desired me not to mind tho.-e 
strangers and that he would soon g^ive me a pcsiiive answer. 

"The 28th of April the g-reat chief desired me to call at 
the French traders and receive nis answer. 'Don't take bad,' 
said he, 'of what I am to tell you. You may g-o back when 
3"OU please. V/e cannot give 3-0U a positive answer. We 
must send 3'our speech to all our neig-hbors and to the lake 
nations. We cannot give a detinite answer without constilt- 
ing the commandant at Detroit.' He desired me to render 
him the two branches of wampum refused b3' the Shawnees; 
also a cop3' of speeches in writing. He promised me that in 
thirt3' nights he would send an answer to Post Vincennes bv 
a young man of each nation. He was well pleased with the 
speeches and said thev were wortli3' of attention and should 
be communicated to all their confederates, being resolved 
among them not to do anything without an unanimous con- 
sent. I agreed to his request and rendered him the two 
branches of wampum and a cop3' of the speech. Afterward 
he told me that the live nations so called or the Iroquois were 
training for something; that five of them and three Wyan- 
dottes were in this village with branches of waminim. He 
could not tell me presentl3' their purpose but he said I wovild 
know of it verv soon. 



PIONEER HISTORY OF INDIANA. 85 

"The sumo day Blue Jacket i.ivited me to liis house for 
supper and before the other chiefs told me that, after another 
deliberation, the\- thoujfht necessary that I should go my- 
self to Detroit to see the commandant who would j>:et all 
his children assembled to hear my si)eecli. I told them I 
would not answer them in the nij^^ht — that I was not ashamed 
to speak to them before the svin. 

"On the 2*>ih of April I jjfot them all assembled. I told 
tilt in I was not to go to Detroii; that the speeches were di- 
rected to the nations of the River Wabash and the Miami and 
to prove the sincerity of the speeches an.l ihe ht*ari of Gover- 
nor St. Clair I had willinj^ly gfiren a copy of ihe speeches to 
be shown to the coniniandanL of Detroit and accordinj^- to a 
lener written by the commandant of jJetroit lO ihe Miamis, 
Shawnees and i^elawares mentioning to ihem to be peaceable 
with the Americans. I would «^o to the commandant very 
willinj^ly if it were in my direction bein.ij: sensible of his sen- 
timents. I told them I had nothin«^ lo say to the command- 
ant, neither he to rne, and that they must immediately resolve 
if they intended to take me to Detroit or else I would g-o back as 
soon as possible. Blue Jacket g^ot up and told me, 'A*^ friend, 
we are well pleased with whai you say. Our intention : lot 
to force you to go lo Detroit; it was only a proposal, think- 
ing it for ihe best. Our answer is the same as the Mia'mis. 
We will send in thirty nij^hls a full and positive answer by a 
young- man of each nation by writing, to Post V'incennes.' 

"In the evening Blue Jacket, having taken me to supper 
with him, told me in a private manner that the Shawnee na- 
tion was in doubt of the sincerity of the Big Knives, having 
been already deceived by them. That they had first des- 
troyed their lands, put out their tires and sent away their 
young men, being a-hunting-, without a mouthful of meat; 
also had taken away their women, wherefore many of them 
would, with a great deal of pain, forget these affronts. More- 
over that some Other nations were apprehending that offers of 
peace would maybe tend to take away, by degrees, their lands 
and would serve them as they did before. A certain proof 
that thev intended to encroach on their lands was their new 



8h PIONEER HISTORY OF INDIANA. 

settlement on the Ohio. If ihey didn't keep this side of the 
Ohio clear, it would never be proper, reconcilement with the 
nations. Shawnees, Iroquois. W3'andottes and perhaps man)' 
others. Lej>:ris, chief of the Miamis. asked me in private dis- 
course what chief had made treaty with the Americans at 
Muskinofum ( Ft. Harmon ;. I answered him that their names 
were mentioned in the treaty. He told me he had heard of it 
some time ago but that the}' were not chiefs nor delejifates 
who made that treaty; they were only young men who, with- 
out authority and instructions from their chiefs, had con- 
cluded that treaty which would not be approved. They had 
gone to the treat}' clandestinely and they intended to make 
mention of it in the next council to be held. 

"The 2nd of May, I came back to the L'Anguille. One 
of the chief men of the tribe being witness of the council at 
Miamitown, repeated the whole to them and whereas the lirst 
chief was absent, they said they could not for the present 
time, give answer but that they were willing to join their 
speech to those of their eldest brethien. 'To give you proof 
of an open heart,' they said, 'we let you know that one of our 
chiefs has gone to war on the Americans but it was before we 
heard of you for certain they would not have gone hiiher.' 
They also told me that a few days after I i^assed their village, 
seventy warriors, Chippewas and Ottawas from Michilimaci- 
nac arrived there. Some of them were Pottawatiomies who, 
meeting on their route the Chippewas and Ottawas, joined 
them. 'We told them,' they said, "we heard oy you — that your 
speech is fair and true. We could noi stop uhem from going to 
w^ar. The Pottawattomies told us that as the Chippewas and 
Ottawas were more numerous than they they were forced to 
follow them.' 

"On the 3d of May I got to the Weas. They told me 
that they were waiting for an answer from their eldest 
brethren. 'We approve very much our brethren for not to 
give a definite answer without informing of it all the 
lake nations. Detroit was the place where the tire was 
lighted, then it ought first to be put out there. The English 
commandant is our father since he threw down our French 



PIONEER HISTORY OF INDIANA. 87 

father. We could do nothinj^- without his ai)i)rol)ation.' 

"The 4ih of May I arrived ot the villayfe of the Kicka- 
poos. The chief presenting- me two branches of wampum, 
black and white said — 'My son, we cannot stop our young- 
men from going to war. Every day some set off clandestinely 
for that purpose. After such behavior from our young- men 
we are ashamed to say to the great chief of the Illinois and 
of the Post Vincennes that we are busy about some good af- 
fairs for the reconcilement, but be persuaded that we will 
speak to them continually concerning the peace and when our 
eldest brethren will have sent their answer, we will join ours 
to it. 

"The 5th of May I arrived at Vermillion, I found no- 
body but two chiefs. All the rest were gone a-hunting. They 
told me they had nothing else to say." In a despatch from 
Post Vincennes May 22d, 1790, Major Hamtramck says — 'T 
enclose the proceedings of Mr. Gamelin by which Your Ex- 
cellenc}' can have no great hopes of bringing the Indians to 
peace wath the United States, Gamelin arrived on the 8th of 
May and on the 11th some merchants arrived and informed 
me that as soon as Gamelin had passed their village on his 
return, all the Indians had gone to war; that a large party of 
Indians from Michilimacinac and some Pottawattomies had 
g-one to Kentucky and that three days after Gamelin had left 
the Miami village, Kekionga, an American was brought 
there, scalped and burned at the stake." 

The great reason that *the French and afterwards the 
English, were so successful in dealing- with the Indians and 
attaching them so firmly as their allies, was that they dealt 
■v\'ith them as a parent would with a child, g-iving them many 
presents and humoring their whims. This was pleasing to 
the Indians but after a time it became very expensive. As a 
French writer puts it — "These importunities of gifts for 
everything that they saw or could think of, grew on the Ind- 
ians and it became so expensive that it was a question whether 
their friendship was worth the great trouble and expense," 

The free sons of fair America, who were the best blood 
of man}' foreign nations, knew no way to transact business 



88 PIONEER HISTORY OF INDIANA. 

with the aborigines but b}- the rules of business that would 
g-overu the transaction of one people with another, con- 
sequently the}' were not successful in their attempts to treat 
with the Indians who had been pampered and spoiled b}' the 
French and English nations to hold their friendship. In 
ever}' attempt that the American made to treat with the In- 
dians for friendship or concessions of territor_y the}' were met 
with the taunt that they were not like ihe French and Eng- 
lish, who always commenced such proceedings with a large 
gift of many articles useful to the Indians; that this made 
their hearts glad and that the American always came with 
empty hands. 

Major Gladwin, the British commandant at Detroit, had 
an experience with Pontiac and his confederaied bands which, 
is described by him in a private letter to a friend — 

"The Indians under Pontiac have been so domi- 
neering over the French and have become so exacting 
that when my commissioner made oveiiuies for an 
alliance of peace and friendship, he was rejected. 
They gave as a reason for not making the treaty 
that when their great Father, the i^'rench King, 
wanted any special^favor he gave his red biethven a 
ship load of goods of all kinds for the Indians' com- 
fort; that the English now wanted them to forsake 
their allegiance to their great Father, the King of 
France, and give it to them; for this they should at 
least offer them three ship-loads of guns, powder, 
lead, blankets, clothing of till kinds and many ar- 
ticles for decoraiing their body to expect them to 
grant such a great favor." 

Governor St. Clair was at Kaskaskia when he received 
Gamelin's report which satisfied him that there was no prospect 
of peace with the Wabash Indians. He sent the secretar}' 
of the Northwest Territory, Winthrop Sargent, to Vincennes 
and directed him to lay out Knox county and establish the mil- 
itia and appoint necessary civil and military officers. Mr. 
Sargent proceeded to Vincennes where he organized the camp 
of Knox, appointed the necessary civil and military officers 
and gave notice to the inhabitants to present their claims to 



PIONEER HISTORY OF INDIANA. S*) 

titles of land whicli was found to he a very difficult proposi- 
tion. In his report to the i)resident he said — 

"The lands and lots which were awarded appear 
from the evidence, to belonj>- to those persons to 
whom they were awarded, eiiher by jjfrants. purchase 
or inheritarce. but there are very few titles which 
are comi)lete owinjif to the very loose way that j)ub- 
lic business has been carried on. The concessions 
by the French and British commandants are made 
on small scraps of ]>a]ier which are loosely kejit in 
the Notary's office; but the fewest number of these 
concessions are in a l)ook of record." 

The most important land transactions were often found 
scrawleil down on a loose sheet of pai)er in ver}- bad French 
and worse Engflish. Three-fourths of the names were made 
with marks without beiny: attested by a notary or any one 
else. Manv of these claimants at the jwst of Vincennes had 
been occupyin«.r the land on which iheir houses were built for 
{^fenerations and the only evidence of their having any claim 
to it would all be recorded on a piece of paper not any too 
lar*ie for a tarj^^et in a shooiing match. Mr. Sarj^ent said 
that there were about one hundred and lifty families in Vin- 
cennes in 17*K). The heads of these families had at some 
time had a title to a ponion of ihe soil which liile he had 
si)ent weeks in tryin»jf to straighten out. While he was bus}' 
with these claims he received a jieiiiion si«;;ned by eij^fhiy 
Americans askinj^ for confirmation of ihe grants of land ceded 
by the court which had been organi;ced by Col. John Todd 
under the authority of Virginia. 

Congress of the 3rd of March. 17"'l, authorised the gov- 
ernor of the territory in all case.> where ihe imi)rovenienis 
had been made, under a sujji'ostd title for the same, to confirm 
the persons who made such improvements on the land sup- 
posed to have been granted, not to exceed in (iuan,tity four 
hundred acres to one person. In 1790 a session of court was 
held in Vincennes at which Wihthrop Sargent, Acting Gov- 
ernor, presided and the following laws were adopted. 

1. An act prohibiting the giving or selling of intoxicat- 
ihg liquors to Indians residing in or coming into the territory' 



90 PIONEER HISTORY OF INDIANA. 

of the United States northwest of the River Ohio and for pre- 
venting- foreigners from trading- with the Indians. 

2. An act prohibiting the sale of spirituous or other in- 
toxicating liquors to soldiers in the service of the United 
States, being- within ten miles of any militar}- post within 
the territor}' of the United States northwest of the River 
Ohio and to prevent the selling or pawning- of arms, ammuni- 
tion, clothing and accoutrements. 

3. An act for suppressing- and prohibiting- every species 
of gaming for money or other property and for making void 
contracts and payments made in consequence thereof; and for 
restraining the disorderly practice of discharg-ing- arms at 
certain hours and places. 

."Post Vincennes, July 3, 17*K). 

"To the Honorable Winthrop Sargent, Esq., Secre- 
tary in and for the territory of the United States 
northwest the River Ohio and vested with all the 
powers of governor and commander-in-chief: 
"Sir:- 

As 3'ou have g-iven verbal orders to the magis- 
trates who formerly composed the court of the dis- 
trict of Post Vincennes under the jurisdiction of the 
state of V^irg-inia, to g-ive 3'ou their reasons for hav- 
ing taken upon them to grant concessions for the 
lands within the district, in obedience thereto, we 
beg leave to inform you that their principal reason is 
that, since the establishment of this country, the 
commandants have always appeared to be vested with 
the power to give lands. Their founder, Mr. Vin- 
cennes, began to give concessions and all his succes- 
sors have given lands and lots. Mr. Legras was ap- 
pointed commandant of Post V^incennes b}" the lieu- 
tenant of the connt}^ — John Todd who was, in the 
year 1779, sent by the state of V^irginia to regulate 
the government of the country and who substituted 
Mr. Legras with his power. In his absence Mr. Le- 
gras. who was then commandant, assumed that he 
had in quality of commandant authority to give 
lands' according to the ancient usages of other com- 
mandants; and he verbally informed the court of Post 
Vincennes that when they would judge it proper to 
give lands or lots to those who should come into the 
Territory to settle, or otherwise, they might do it; 
and that he gave them permission to do so. 



PIONEER HISTORY OF INDIANA. 01 

"These are the reasons ihat we acied ujion and if 
we have done more than we ouji'ht. ii was on account 
of ihe liiile kiiowledy^e we had of public aifairs." 

F. BossERON Pip:kkk Gamelin 

his 
L. Edeline Pierre (X; Querez 

mark 

While in Vincennes in 1790 Mr. Sarjjent received an ad- 
dress from the leading citizens as follows: 

"The citizens of the town of Vincennes approach 
you. Sir, lo express as well iheir personal respects 
for your honor as a full approbation of the measures 
you have been pleased to pursue in re<fard to their 
g-overnment and the adjustment of their claims as in- 
habitants of the territory over which you at present 
preside. While we deem it a sinj^fular blessing to 
behold the principles of free government unfolding 
before us, we cherish the pleasing reflection that our 
posterity will also have cause to rejoice at the polit- 
ical chang-e now originating. A free and efficient 
government wisely administered and fosiered under 
the protecting wings of an august union of states, 
cannot fail to render the citizens of this wide, ex- 
tended territory securely happy in the possession of 
every public blessing. 

"We cannot take leave. Sir, without offering to 
your notice a tribute of gratitude and esteem which 
every citizen of Vincennes conceives he owes to the 
merits of an officer (Major HamtramckJ who has long 
commanded at this post. The unsettled situation of 
things for a series of years previous to this gentle- 
man's arrival tended in many instances to derange 
and in others to suspend, the operations of these mu- 
nicipal customs by which the citizens of this town 
were used to be governed. They were in the habit 
of submitting the superintendence of their civil regu- 
lations to the officer who happened to command the 
troops posted among them; hence, in the course of 
the late war and from the frequent change of mas- 
ters, they lalx)red under heavy and various griev- 
ances but the judicious and humane attention paid by 
Major Hamtramck during his whole command, to the 
rights and feelings of every individual, craving his 



92 PIONEER HISTORY OF INDIANA. 

interpositions, demands and will always receive our 
warmest acknowledg-meni. 

"We beg- you, Sir, to assure ihe supreme authorit}' 
of the United States of our fidelit}' and attachment 
and our g-reatest ambition is lo deserve its fostering- 
care by acting the part of good citizens. 

"jtJy order and on behalf of the citizens of Vin- 
cennes. 

Antoine Gamelin, Magi'strate. 
Pierre Gamelin. 
Paul Gamelin 
James Johnson, 
Louis ii,DELiNE, 
Luke Decker, 
Francis Bosseron, 
Francis V^igo. 

Major Lommandant Militia. 
Henry Vanderburgh, 

Major of Militia." 

To this complimentary testimonial, Winthrop Sargent 
made a brief but appropriate reply as follows: ' 

"V^incennes, July 25, 1790. 
Gentlemen: — 

Next to that happiness which I derive from a 
consciousness ol endeavoring lo merit the approba- 
tion of the soveieig-n auihorit}' of the United States 
by the faithiul dl^charge of the important trust com- 
mitted to me, is the g-raieful plaudits of the respec- 
aLle citizens of this terriior}' and be assured, gentle- 
men, that 1 leceive it fiom the town of Vincennes 
upon this occasion with singular satisfaction. 

''In an event so interesting and important to ever}- 
individual as the organization of civil government, I 
regret exceedingly that you have been deprived of 
the wisdom of our worthy governor. His extensive 
abilities and long experience in the honorable 
walks of public life might have more perfectl}^ 
established that system which promises to you and 
posterity such political blessings. It is certain, gen- 
tlemen, that the government of the United States is 
most congenial to the dignit}' of human nature and 
the best possible palladium for the lives and propert}' 
of mankind. The services of Major Hamtramck to 
the public and his humane attention to the citizens. 



pioxep:r history of Indiana. *)?, 

while in comiricitul here, have been hijjfhly meritor- 
ious and it is with jjreat pleasure that I have oflici- 
cially expressed to him my full ap]irohation thereof. 

"Your dutiful sentiments of fidelity and attach- 
ment to the },»-eneral jifovernment of the United States, 
shall be faithfully transmitted to their auyfust ]">res- 
ident. 

"Willi ihe warnifst wishes for the prosperity ami 
welfare of Vincennes. I have the honor to be, j^en- 
tlemen, Your obedient, humble servant, 

WiNTHROP Sargent." 

Durin<^ most of the years 17">0 and 17'>1, (rovernerSt. 
Clair was very busy with the military alTairs of the territory. 
The civil aflfairs were turned over to Winthrop Sarjj^ent and 
he was yfiven authority of acting- g-overnor. St. Clair then 
determined to return to Ft. Washington where General Har- 
mor was stationed and consult with him as to the expedienc}' 
of sending- expeditions against the hostile Indians. When he 
arrived at Ft. Washington from Kaskaskia. after a consulta- 
tian with his military leaders, they deiermined to send a 
strong deiachment against the Indians located on ihe head 
waters of the Wabash. At ihiit time the United Slates 
troops in ihe northwest were but little over four hundred ef- 
fective men. A i)art of the miliia designed to act wiih the 
troops on these expeditions there was about three hundred 
from Virginia, that rendezvoused at Fori ^Meuben and with 
the jfarrison of that station marched to \u cennes and were 
joined to the forces of Major Hamiramck who was authorized 
to enlist what niilita he could at Post Vincennes. \^'lLll this 
force he rrarched ui> tlu- \\;ibash river. h;:ving ordtis lo at- 
tack any Inclians that he miglu find with which his force was 
strong enough to engage. The governor had the authority 
of the president to call on the state of \'irginia for one thous- 
and troo]>s and Pennsylvania for live hundred. These troops, 
less the three hundred Virgfinians that went with Hamtramck, 
assembled at Ft. Wasiiington add were joined to the regular 
troops at that station. 

On the last of September (.over. .or Si. Clair, in obedi- 
ence to instructions from the president t.>f ihe united Sunes, 



94 PIONEE'^ HISTORY OF INDIANA. 

sent the following- letter to the British Cominindani at 
Detroit: 

"Marietta, September 1*>, 1790. 
Sir- 
As it is not improbable on account of the military 
preparations going forward in this quaner of the 
country may reach 3'ou and give you some uneasiness, 
while the object to which they are directed in not 
perfectly known, I am commanded b}' the president 
of ihe United States to give you the full assurance 
that pacific dispositions are entertained toward Great 
Britain and all her possessions; and lO inform you 
explicitly that the expediiion about to be UiidertaKen 
is not intended against the Post you have the honor 
to command nor an}' other place at present in the 
possession of the British troops of his Majesty; but 
is on foot with the sole design of humbling and 
chastising some of the savage tribes whose depreda- 
tions are becoming inioleraole and whose cruelties 
have, of late, become an outrage, not on the people 
of America only, but on humanity; which I now do 
in the most unequivocal manner. 

"After this candid explanation, Sir, there is every 
reason to expect both from 3'our own personal char- 
acter and from the regard you have for that of your 
nation that those tribes will meet with neither count- 
enance nor assistance from any under your command; 
and ihat you will do what in your power lies to res- 
train the trading people from those instigations, 
from which there is g^ood reason to believe much of 
the injuries committed b}" the savage has proceeded. 

"I have forwarded this letter by a private gentle- 
man in preference to an ofticer by whom you might 
have expected a communicadon of this kind, that 
every suspicion of the pULiiy of the views of the 
United States, might be obviated." 

Gejieral Harmer left Ft. Washington on September 30th, 
with an army of fourteen hundied men arrived at Maumee 
Octobor 17th then commenced tlie work of chastising the 
Indians but mei with misfortunes that were more injurious 
to the American than were harmful ro the Indians. The 
savages received a se\-ere chastisement but the militia be- 



PIONEER HISTORY OF INDIANA. 95 

haved so badly that it was of hut little service. The detach- 
ment of three hundred and forty militia and sixty re^'-ulars, 
under the command of Colonel Hardin, were badly defeated 
on the Maumee October 32d. On the next day the army took 
up its line of march for Ft. Woshinjjfton which place they 
reached November 4th, havin^j lost in the expedition one 
hundred and eiji-hty-ihree killed and thirty-one wounded. 
During- the progress of this expedition. Major Hamtrarack 
marched up ihe VVabash as far as the Vermilion river, des- 
troying- several deserted villages without finding any enemy 
to oppose him. He then returned to Vince.ines. 

The savages were badly punished by these expeditions 
yet they refused to sue for peace and continued hostile. 

On March <)th, 1791. General Henry Knjx, Secretary of 
War, sent a letter of instructions to Gener il Scott in Ken- 
tucky, recommending an expedition of mounted men, not to 
exceed seven hundred and fifty against the Wea towns along- 
the Wabash. Wiih this force. General Scott crossed the 
Ohio river May 23d, 17'>1, reached the Wabash in about ten 
days. Many of ihe Indians, having di>.covered his approach 
deserted their villages but he succeeded in destroying- all the 
villages around Ouiatenon together with -.everal Kickapoo 
towiis, killed ihirty-five warriors and took sixty-one prisoners. 
Releasing a few of his ag-ed priso.iers he .rave ihein a talk 
and asked ihem to carry ii lo ihe towns fariher up the Wabash 
and to the country of the Maumee. Owing to the disabled 
condition of his horses he was unable lo go farther. 

In March, 17'K, Congress provided forrjusing an'; equip- 
l)ing a re^imeni for ihe projection of the f/oniie s and gov- 
ernor St. Clair was placed in command of something- more 
thr'n ihree thousand troops, son^e of ihtm yei lo be raised and 
all of them to be employed in quelling ihe Indians in the 
Northwest Territory. He was instrucied by ihe Secretary of 
War to march lo the Miami village. Kekionga and to estab- 
lish a permanent military post there and such posis elsewhere 
throughout his territory as would be in communicaiion wiih 
Ft. Washington. The post at the Miami village was to be 
of such strength as lO hold the savage in thai neighborhood 



96 PIONEER HISTORY OF INDIANA. 

in check; also to afford shelter for live or six hundred men in 
case of an emerg-enc_v. The Secretar}- of War urged St. Clair 
to establish that post as the most important part of his cam- 
paig-n. As in previous treaties, the Indians were to be con- 
ciliated, every inducement being- offered to them to cease 
their hostilities. Said the Secretary- of War — ''Having com- 
menced your march upon the expedition, and the Indians 
continuing hostile, you will use every possible exertion to 
make ihem feel the effects of your superiority and after hav- 
ing arrived ai the Miami village and put your works in a de- 
fensible state, you will seek the enemy with vour remaining 
force and endeavor to strike them with great severity. In 
order to avoid future wars, it might be proper to make the 
Wabash and thence over the ^Maumee and down the same to 
its mouth on Lake Erie, the boundary between the people of 
the United States and the Indians (except so far as the same 
would relate to the W3"andotts and the*Delawaresj on suppo- 
sition that they will remain faithful to their treaties, but if 
thev should join in war against the United States and your 
arni)^ should be victorious, the said tribes should be removed 
without the boundar}- mentioned." 

Before starting on the march with the main force to the 
Miami town, Governor St. Clair, June 25th, 1791, authorized 
General Wilkinson to conduct an expedition with not more 
than live hundred mounted men, to the Indian villages on the 
Wabash. Accordingly, General Wilkinson, on July 20th, 
with his mounted men well armed and with provision for 
thirty days, marched and reached the'Kenapacomaqua village 
on the north bank of Ji,el river, (now Cass coLi:iLy, Indiana, j 
six miles above its mouih where, on Augusi /ih. he killed 
six warriors and took thirty-four prisoners. This town, 
which was scattered along the river for three miles, was to- 
tally destroyed and Wilkinson and his command encamped on 
its ruins. The next day he comaienced his march upon the 
Kickapoo town on the prairie which he was unable to reach, 
owing to the impossible condition of the route he had taken 
and the condition his horses were in. 

In making his report he estimated the results of the ex- 



PIONEER HISTORY OF INDIANA. 97 

pedition as follows: He had destroyed the chief town of the 
Ouiatenon nation and made prisoners of the son and sisters 
of the King-. He had burned a respectable Kickapoo village 
and cut down four hundred acres of corn, mostl_v in the milk. 

There is no doubt that these expeditions of Hamtramck, 
Harmor, Scott and Wilkinson seriously damaged the Indians 
but they were not subdued. They regarded the policy of the 
United States as calculated to exterminate them and the Eng- 
lish at Detroit urged them on. The3' were excited by the loss 
in former expedition and the tales of woe told them by the 
British traders, to such a degree that they were desperate. 
As has been before stated at that time the British govern- 
ment still had garrisons at Niagara, Detroit and Michilimack- 
inac, although it was declared in the second article of the def- 
inite treaty of peace in 1783 that the king of Great Britain 
would, with all convenient speed and without causing anj' 
destruction or carrying away an}- negroes or property' of the 
American inhabitants, withdraw all his forces from the gar- 
risons and his fleet from the United States and from every 
post, place and harbor within the same. That treaty also 
provided that the creditors on either side should meet with 
no lawful impediment to the recovery of the full value in 
sterling mone)' of all bonafide debts previousl)' contracted. 
The British government contended that the United States 
had broken faith in this particular understanding of the 
treat)' and in consequence refused to withdraw its forces from 
the territory. The British garrison in the lake region was a 
source of much annoyance as they offered succor to the hos- 
tile Indians and encouraged them in making raids among the 
Americans. This state of affairs in the territory northwest 
of the Ohio continued from the commencement of the Revo- 
lutionary War to 1796 when, under a second treaty, all British 
soldiers were withdrawn from the country. 

In September, 1791, St. Clair moved from Ft. Washing- 
ton with about two thousand men. On the 3rd of November 
the main army consisting of about fourteen hundred effective 
troops moved forward to the head waters Of the Wabash 
where Fort Recoverv was afterward erected. Here the armv 



98 PIONEER HISTORY OF INDIANA. 

encamped. At this time the Little Turtle, Blue Jacket and 
Buckong-ehelas and other Indian chiefs were secreted a few 
miles distant with a large force of Indians waiting for a fav- 
orable opportunit}' to bring on an attack. This the}' com- 
menced on the morning- of the 4th of November a little while 
before sunrise. The attack was first made upon the militia 
which gave way. St. Clair was defeated and returned to Ft. 
Washington with a broken and dispirited army, having lost 
thirty-nine officers and five hundred and forty men, killed and 
missing and having twenty-two officers and two hundred and 
thirty-five men wounded. St. Clair lost several pieces of artil- 
lery and all his ammunition, provision and baggage were 
left on the ground. One of the sad features of this terrible 
disaster was the loss of more than two hundred women who 
had followed their husbands, brothers and fathers on this 
campaign, expecting to settle with them in some of the fine 
countr}" that would be reclaimed from the Indians. Over the 
most terrible fate that awaited and was meted out to these 
unfortunate women it is best to draw the veil. The Indians, 
in this battle, manifested the most fiendish and cruel brutal- 
it}' to the dead and dying Americans. Believing that the 
whites had made war for man}- years for the sole purpose of 
acquiring land, the)' thrust great chunks of dirt into the 
mouths and the great gashes cut in the cheeks of the dying 
and dead soldiers. 

The defeat of St. Clair's arm}- was a severe blow to the 
Northwest Territory and retarded the settlement of the mid- 
dle and western part of that territory for many years. The 
Indians, owing to the very easy victor}'*which the}' had gained 
over the Americans, whose army was almost twice as large 
as theirs, determinedly organized many raids which they sent 
into the thinly settled region of the Northwest Territory, 
Kentucky and on the borders of V^irginia. There was so 
much destruction wrought by the Indians that many families 
who had come to the settled stations around the Ohio Falls 
and at Ft. Washington, moved farther back to Kentucky and 
Virginia. Some military critics were very severe and out- 
spoken in censuring General St. Clair, though this was prob- 



PIONEER HISTORY OF INDIANA. 99 

ably very unjust. Tlie main reason of his defeat was that a 
larg'e portion of his army had been hastily jjfathered together 
and many of them were from the thickly settled sections of 
Virginia and Pennsylvania where they had had no experi- 
ence in Indian warfare and owing to ihe hurried disposition 
of the troops before the commencement of the main eampaign, 
they had had but little opportunity to receive military train- 
ing or discipline; also a portion of the new levies were com- 
manded by officers who had no military experience. General 
St. Clair was an old man and had been very successful and 
efficient during the seven long years of the Revolution. When 
he was chosen to the important position of Governor of the 
Northwest Territory, he was a member of Congress and was 
president of that body. 

After the return of the defeated army to Ft. Washington, 
St. Clair resigned his position of Major General in the United 
States army but retained the governorship of the Northwest 
Territory to which he gave all of his time. To the vacancy 
made in the army roll by the resignation of St. Clair, General 
Anthony Wayne (more familiarly known as "Mad Anthony") 
was promoted. General Wayne was an old officer and had won 
a very enviable reputation during the long struggle for lib- 
erty. On taking command he at once moved to Ft. Pitt 
(Pittsburg, Penn.) 

In 17*^2 the government of United States determined to 
reorganize and place a large army in the field for the purpose 
of subduing the hostile Indians in the Northwest Territory 
and General Wayne set about pr-eparing, drilling and equipp- 
ing the army that he had gathered about him for the purpose 
of thoroughly chastising, defeating and destroying the In- 
dians who had defeated St. Clair's army and destroyed so 
many American soldiers and American women. 

During the rest of 17*>2 and up to October, 17*>3, Wayne 
remained at Ft. Pitt but on the latter date moved with his army 
to Ft. Washington where he remained the rest of that year 
and until July. 17'>4, preparing his army to be in the best con- 
dition for effective service, drilling them in a manner that 
they would be able to resist any of the known modes of In- 



100 PIONEER HISTORY OF INDIANA. 

dian warfare. On July 26th Major General Scott with sixteen 
hundred mounted riflemen from Kentucky, joined the regular 
troops under Wayne at Ft, Washington and on the 28th of 
July the! combined army began its march for the Indian 
towns on the Maumee. 

Arriving at the mouth of the Auglaize, the}' erected Ft. 
Defiance and on August 15th they advanced toward the Brit- 
ish fort at the rapids near the Maumee. On the 20th, al- 
most within reach of the British guns the Americans gained 
a complete victory over the combined forces of the hostile 
Indians and a company of Detroit militia, amounting to sev- 
enty-eight men. The number of the enemy was estimated at 
two thousand against about nine hundred American troops ac- 
tuallyengaged. As soon as the action commenced, the Ameri- 
cans charged the Indians who abandoned themselves to flight 
and dispersed with terror and dismay. The Americans lost on 
this occasion thirtj'-three killed and one hundred wounded. 
The loss of the enemy was probably three times as great. 
Wayne remained on the field and in the vicinit}' for several 
days after the battle, burning the Indian towns and destro}'- 
ing their corn-field for many miles on both sides of the Mau- 
mee. The Indians retired from that section disheartened to 
the country far to the north. Wayne continued sending mes- 
sages to the Indians trying to persuade them to meet him 
and form a treaty. 

After this, for a time, there was a suspension .of hos- 
tilities and raids by the Indians, for from nearly every town 
in the Northwest Territory numbers of young hunters were 
engaged in that battle. Probably* the Indians never on the 
American continent had gathered together a more efficient 
army of two thousand men, commanded by some of their 
greatest leaders, Little Turtle, Blue Jacket, Buckongehelas 
and many other distinguished chiefs. Tecumseh, then in 
the first flush of his greatness commanded a troop of one 
hundred Indians on that field. They had chosen their battle 
field in a large territory of fallen timbers with an advance 
line of what we would now call skirmishers under two of 
their most successful war chiefs. The Indian** were so well 



PIONEER HISTORY OF INDIANA. 101 

located that they had no doubt that they would gain a com- 
plete victory over Wayne's force. They had invited a num- 
ber of British officers and soldiers to occupy positions in 
sight of the field to see them annhilate the American array, 
but they had reckoned without their host. General Wayne 
had an army of four thousand men equipped and drilled that 
for efficiency and moral in that mode of warfare perhaps was 
never excelled on the American continent. It was com- 
manded by some of the most resolute and efficient officers 
who have honored the roll of fame among American heroes. 

As soon as the battle commenced a detachment was or- 
dered to charge both flanks of the Indian army and the centre 
and in a very short time it put them to precipitate flight. 
Not more than nine hundred of Wayne's men had an oppor- 
tunity to distinguish themselves in that battle. After the 
battle during the time that Wayne was in camp near the 
Maumee he and his staff with a large escort of cavalr}', made 
several trips of observation over the battle-field. During 
some of these trips the cavalcade was halted in front of the 
fort. This brought on such a spirited controversy between 
the commander of the British fort — Wm. Campbell — and Gen- 
eral Wayne that it seemed, at one time, as if a collision 
would be brought on between the British and American 
armies. 

About the middle of September, 1794, Wayne's army 
commenced its march toward the deserted Miami village and 
on the following day arrived there and selected a site for a 
new fort named Ft. Wayne.' The fort was completed near 
the last of November and garrisoned by five hundred and 
fifty-eight men and officers, infantry and artillery, under the 
command of Colonel John F. Hamtramck. After this Wayne 
resumed his march. Arriving at Greenville he took up his 
headquarters there for the winter and remained there most of 
the summer of 1795. During all the time between the battle 
ane up to August of the next year Wayne had his scouts in- 
terpreters and trusted men among the Indians, trying to get 
them to meet him at Greenville for the purpose of making a 
general treaty of peace with all the hostile Indians of the 



102 PIONEER HISTORY OF INDIANA. 

Northwest Territor}' and about the middle of August he suc- 
ceeded in the attempt. 

At that treaty a concession of a large amount of land on 
the Ohio, Sioto and Miami rivers was made the United States 
by the Indians. By this concession, commencing- at a point 
on the eastern Ohio line near where Ft. Recover}' was erect- 
ed, a line was run to the south coming to the Ohio river at a 
point opposite the mouth of the Kentucky river. This small 
strip of land was the first real concession made by general 
treaty with the Indians that is located in the state of Indiana. 

After the conclusion of these treaties there was a period 
of rest for the pioneers as the Indians, for some 3'ears after- 
ward, were a little sh}' of making war on the frontiers. Dur- 
ing that period there was a great influx of settlers into Onio 
around Marietta, Ft. Washington and at points in the terri- 
tory of the Ohio Land Company; also there was a great im- 
petus given to emigration into the state of Ketuck}'. around 
the Ohio Falls, Louisville on the north side of the river at 
Clarksville and in the territory set off for the officers and 
soldiers of General Clark's arm}'. Outside of these settle- 
ments in Indiana Territory, there was no emigration to any 
part of it except an occasional fool-hardy, restless pioneer 
who would locate at some point in the wilderness. 

The territory that is now Indiana, for some time after 
1800 all belonged to the Indians, except the small strip 
granted by the Greenville treaty, the territory of Clark's 
grant and a section of land around Vincennes granted by the 
Piankashaw Indians. The government of the United States 
had repeatedly warned its oflicers at the different stations in 
the territory not to permitt any settlements to be made until 
the land was acquired from the Indians. 

In 1795 a treaty with Spain was made by the United 
States which secured the free navigatin of the Mississippi 
river. After the treaty was signed and the people on the 
borders of the Alleghany mountains knew of it, a large num- 
ber of emigrants came to the Northwest Territory. Most of 
them settled at various points in what soon afterward became 
the state of Ohio. 



PIONEER HISTORY OF INDIANA. 103 

In 17% the British evacuated Detroit and the United 
States forces occupied the territory. The post at Detrott 
was g-arrisoned by troops commanded b)' Captain Potter, sec- 
retary of the Northwest Territory. Winthrop Sarjjfent went 
to Detroit and orjjanized the county of Wayne, which in- 
cluded all that is now the state of Michigan, northeast 
Indiana and northwest Ohio. During that year settlements 
were made in many parts of Ohio. 

In the year 1798 nominations for representatives for the 
Territory took place and on the 4th of February, 1799, they 
convened at Losantville, now Cincinnati, which was then the 
capital of the territory, for the purpose of nominating- per- 
sons from whom the members of the legislature were to be 
chosen, in accordance with a previous ordinance. This nom- 
ination being made the assembly adjourned until the 16th of 
September, 1799. From those names the President selected 
as members of the council Henry Vanderburg- of Vincennes, 
Robert Oliver of Marietta, James Finley and Jacob Burnett 
of Cincinnati and David Vance of Vanceville. 

On the 16th of September the Territorial Legislature 
met and on the 24th the two houses were duly organized, 
Henry Vanderburg being elected president of the Council. 
The message of Governor St. Clair was addressed to the as- 
sembly and on the 13th of October that body elected William 
Henry Harrison as delegate to Congfress. He received eleven 
votes which was a majority of one over his opponent, Arthur 
St. Clair, Jr. The number of acts passed at this session 
and approved by the Governor was thirty-seven. The most 
important of those passed related to the militia and to taxa- 
tion. On the 19th of December the session of the first legis- 
lature in the west was closed and on the 30th of December 
the President nominated Captain William Byrd to the office 
of Secretary of the Territory, Vice William Henry Harrison, 
elected to Congress. 

In 1800 the Northwest Territory was divided. Ohio at 
that time was preparing- to form a state constitution. The 
division was made by commencing at the mouth of the Great 
Miami river, running thence north until that line intersects 



104 PIONEER HISTORY OF INDIANA. 

the boundary line between the United States and Canada. 
The report of the committee for the division of the Terri- 
tory was accepted by Congress and in accordance with its 
sug-g-estion was approved May 7th. Among its provisions 
were these — 

"From and after July the 4th, 1800, all that part of the 
Northwest Territory which lies westward of the line from 
the mouth of the Miami river to the north, before mentioned, 
shall for the purpose of temporary government be known as 
Indiana Territory with headquartors of the same at Post 
Vincennes on the Wabash river." 



CHAPTER V. 



Prisoners Recaptured from the Indians — Terrible 
FIGHTING Around the Place Where Owensville, 
Indiana, now Stands. 



In 1792 James Greenwa}-, Thomas Do3-le and Stephen 
Murtree were soldiers in the United States service and were 
on duty at Vincennes under command of Major Hamtramck. 
During- the summer of that year their term of enlistment was 
out and they were given their discharges. They did not in- 
tend to go back into the service for a while so they determined 
to tit out a hunting and trapping outfit as in that early day 
there were but two kinds of employment in the Northwest 
Territory: one was soldiering and hunting Indians and the 
other was hunting game and trapping for furs. 

Securing two large Indian canoes with such things as 
were necessary for their use, they started down the Wabash 
intending to hunt and trap on that river and its tributaries. 
In the fall, as they were floating down the Wabash they came 
to a small island seven or eight miles south of the mouth of 
White river. Examining the island they found that it would 
be a good place to make a camp, so selecting a site giving 
them a good view up and down the river and both banks, they 
built a barracade suitable for defense and inside of that built 
a small cabin. There was a Frenchman with the pa-rty by 
the name of Pierre DeVan who looked after the camp and 
hunted in the neighborhood. He was a character in many 
ways and proved to be a hero of the first water. He had 
been much with the Indians and understood the language of 
several tribes. He had a great hatred for all Indians as they 



106 PIONEER HISTORY OF INDIANA. 

had murdered his uncle who was the onl_v relative he had in 
this countr}-. 

The fall was spent in hunting bear and deer for their 
skins, the winter in trapping", During- the early winter the 
hunters had g-one down the river and while the Frenchman 
was roaming over the little island he saw an Indian canoe tied 
to the shore opposite the mouth of a creek on the west bank 
of the river. He slipped back and hid himself in a convenient 
place to see what went on. He didn't have long- to wait for 
an Indian was seen to rise up from back of a log- looking in 
ever}' direction for some time. Having- concluded that no one 
was there, the red man went into the camp and commenced 
loading- himself with the camping- outfit to take to his canoe 
and while in the midst of his act the Frenchman shot him. 

When the hunters returned and found the dead Indian 
the}' asked DeVau what made him kill the Indian and he 
answered: "Piankeshaw Indian a g-reat liar and if I no kill 
him he maybe kill me. If I let him g-o two months we all be 
killed." They very materially streng-thened their fortifica- 
tions and told the Frenchman to stay inside when they were 
g-one and to keep a g-ood look-out. They intended to stay on 
the island as long- as the water would let them as fur was 
much better late in the winter than in the early part. They 
caug-ht many beaver and it was the last of February before 
the water commenced to rise so as to cause them any alarm 
about their camp. 

They g-ot everything- in shape and loaded all their thing-s 
into their canoes and started for Vincennes where they sold 
their skins and purchased a g-ood supply of ammunition, salt 
and corn meal to take back with them when the water went 
down which was about the middle of April. When they 
reached the island ag-ain they found that the hig-h water had 
wrecked their fortifications and little cabin and they had to 
do their work all over ag-ain. After this was completed they 
found that all the g-ame had been driven out of the bottoms 
by the hig-h waters and they resolved to g-o to the hills on the 
east side of the river for a hunt. 

There was yet water in the little creek for their canoes 



PIONEER HISTORY OF INDIANA. 107 

and they followed it upstream for several miles when it 
seemed to become a brushy pond. They left their canoes 
here and went in a southeasterly direction. They had to 
wade through shallow water for a Ion": distance before they 
got to hij^her land. Here they made a lire, dried their cloth- 
ing and prepared a temporary camp, aiming to stay until the ' 
had all the meat they wanted and had ac(iuainted themselves 
with the surrounding country, and it turned out they had no 
trouble in killing all the deer they could take care of. 

The next morning they all went to a place seen by one 
X)f them the day before, which he felt sure it was a regular 
bear den in a cave or hole in a bluff. While they were hunt- 
ing for the place they heard a loud, piercing scream not far 
away, coming, apparently, from a child. It was very loud at 
first but gradually grew weaker until it ceased. The hunt- 
ers were greatly startled and could not account for such a 
noise in this great wilderness. They hid in the bushes for a 
while waiting for further developments but did not see or 
hear anything more. 

They resolved to find out the cause of the screaming and. 
it was determined that Doyle should go first, the other two 
to keep him in sight and be governed by his motions. He 
crawled through the thick brush and when they were near a 
high bluff he signalled to the others to come to him. He had 
seen smoke and heard voices that he believed to be those of 
Indians. The smoke seemed to come from the eastern side 
of the bluffs and the)' determined to go farther around. Ad- 
vancing very carefully for two or three hundred feet they 
could see the fire and going still farther could see that there 
were several Indians around it and a little to one side a white 
man and woman were sitting on a log with their hands tied 
behind them. There were four Indians in view and the 
hunters each selected one to shoot at. After firing they de- 
termined they would reload their guns where they were and 
trust to luck for the outcome. They ali fired at once, killing 
two and fatall}- wounding another one that fell in the fire; 
the fourth one ran around the side of the blulf . 

After waiting awhile the hunters slipped to where the 



108 PIONEER HISTORY OF INDIANA. 

prisoners were, cut the leather thongs they were bound with 
and finished the Indian who was kicking- and squirming in. 
the fire. Doyle determined to follow the other Indian and in 
a short time a shot was heard in the direction he had gone. 
Soon an Indian was seen running eighty or ninety yards 
away. The two hunters fired at him and he dropped his gun 
but kept on running. On going around the bluff in the di- 
rection Doyle had gone, they came upon his lifeless body, 
killed no doubt b}^ the Indian at whom they had just been 
shooting. 

The prisoners released were James Griscom and his wife, 
Rachel. The screaming heard by the hunters was little 
Mary Griscom, who the day before had a fall that had hurt 
her ankle so that she could not walk and had to be carried 
for several miles to where the camp was made. She was no 
better the morning the hunters found them and would hinder 
their time in marching, so the Indians resolved to kill her. 
One of them gathered her up and going to the top of the 
bluff threw her over to the bottom, many feet below, killing 
her. 

Griscom informed the hunters that there were three 
more Indians that had gone away with their guns, he sup- 
posed to hunt and that they might return at any time. They 
took the Indians' guns and hid them in the brush; then took 
Doyle's body around to the end of the bluff where the body 
of the little girl was and hastily put them in a crevice or 
shelf in the rock made by the action of running water and 
covered and wedged them in so that they would be safe from 
animals. 

After consulting together they resolved to avenge the 
death of the brave Doyle and little Mary by killing the other 
Indians if they should return. Murtree went back up the 
slope of the bluff to a point where he could see for some dis- 
tance around and also see where the fire was. The others 
dragged the dead Indians into the brush, then made up the 
fire and hid behind a screen of brush so they could have a 
view of the fire and of Murtree who was to signal to them 
when he saw anything of the Indians. They were in that 



PIONEER HISTORY OF INDIANA. 109 

position about one hour when Murtree signalled them to be 
on the look out, pointing- to a position bej^ond the fire. In a 
short time two Indians came into a view with a deer on a 
pole with them. As they came near the fire they stopped 
and looked around for their comrades. At that moment 
Greenway and Griscom fired, killing one and breaking the 
thigh of the other, who fell but tried to drag himself, gun in 
hand to a log and was killed by Murtree. The hunters re- 
mained in their position for some time but the other Indian 
did not return. Fearing that the Indian wounded in the first 
battle would be able to find some other band of warriors and 
come back to his camp, and being told by Griscom that an 
Indian town they had come near the day before was not more 
than six miles south of them, they concluded to get away as 
soon as they could. 

Griscom also told them that another band of Indians 
with four prisoners had been with their party and had gone 
to the town. The band he was with would not go to the vil- 
lage but went around it. 

Gathering up such of the plunder stolen by the Indians 
as would be of use to them, and taking all the Indian guns, 
they went to their camp where they had eight deer killed the 
day before. It took a long time to load their canoes as they 
had to wade through the slush and water a long distance to 
get to them. It was late in the afternoon when they started 
for their island camp and after night when they arrived 
there. The next day they fixed up quarters for their new 
comers who were very grateful for being released from 
captivity but were very sad over the loss of their little 
Mary. 

Griscom gave this account of their capture: He. with 
his wife and little daughter seven years old; George Talbert 
and wife, a sister of Mrs. Griscom's and little boy five years 
old; Thomas West and wife; Uavtd Hope and wife; a brother 
James, 15 years old and a sister, Jane, 11 years old, had em- 
barked on a boat, which they fitted out near Wheeling. Va., for 
the mouth of the Ohio river. Mr. Hope had been there when a 
soldier. The river was in a good stage of water and the run most 



110 PIONEER HISTORY OF INDIANA. 

of the wa3' had been ver}' pleasant, not requiring- much use of 
the oars. They saw nothing of Indians until a da}' after 
passing- the mouth of Green river. Late in the evening, 
three da3's before the}' were liberated by the hunters, they 
came to the head> of a large island and the current drew the 
boat into the channel on the north side. As soon as they 
were well into the schute they were fired on by a concealed 
foe on the north bank, killing Talberi and Mrs. West, se- 
verely injuring Hope and breaking Mrs. Hope's arm. They 
lay down in the bottom of the boat hoping that the current 
would carry them beyond the reach of ihe Indians" guns, but 
soon they were seen coming after them in two canoes. The 
boatmen fired at them, killing two and wounding another one. 
West was shot and fell overboard. Griscom, in his hurry, 
broke the lock of his gun and before he could ge; anoiher 
one the Indians were in the boat. They finished killing- 
Hope and his wife and Mrs. West, as they were badh' 
wounded and captured and tied the Other seven. The boat 
was soon landed and unloaded and the stores divided among 
the twent}' Indians capturing them. The prisoners were 
huddled together and la}' on the bank until the next morning- 
when they started on the trip northward. On the second 
evening-, coming to the edge of the Indian town before men- 
tioned, Mrs. Talbert, her little boy and the two Hope child- 
ren were taken by the Indians that stopped there. The 
Griscom famih' was taken around the town to the poii.t 
where the}- were liberated. The two hunters and Griscom 
had many consultations trying to form some plan to recap- 
ture Mrs. Talbert and the three children taken to the Indian 
town if they were still there. The_v finalh' took Pierre 
DeVan, the Frenchman, into the council and talked over 
man}' wa3-s to best accomplish the dangerous undertaking 
and, as the}- were brave men, decided that, come what would, 
they would make the attempt. 

The water had gone down until it was nearh' all out of 
the bottoms and the hunters made arrangements to go to the 
Indian town which, as they*- understood from Griscom, was 
twelve or fifteen miles away, at the same time intending to go 



PIONEER HISTORY OF INDIANA. Ill 

by the bluff and bury Doyle and the little jjirl. They were in a 
quandary what to do with Mrs. Griscom, it being danj^erous to 
leave her at the camp as at any time Indians from their town 
on the Patoka or White river not far to the northeast, miofht 
came to the Island. She decided the question by informing- 
them that she intended to go as she had been raised on the 
frontier of Virginia where Indian raids and counter raids bj' 
whites were of frequent occurence and that she would not in 
any way be a hindrance to them — if need be using a rifle as 
well as the best. This being settled they decided to start 
earl}' the next morning. 

They marched along the bayou to the place where they 
had left their canoes on the other trip and thence to their 
camp of two weeks before. It was agreed that Murtree should 
make a reconnoissance of ihe surrounding neighborhood, going 
as far as the bluff. He was gone about an hour and reported 
everything as the}' had left it except that he didn't see the 
least trace of the five Indians they had killed and left there. 
He supposed their bodies had been carried aw^ay and eaten by 
bears, wolves or panthers as the conntr}' was full of them. 
The shelf where the two white people were placed was just 
as they had left it. They all went to that point, taking an 
axe and a wooden shovel that the)- had made for the occasion. 
After selecting a place for the grave and digging it, they un- 
covered the bodies, carried them to it and buried them side 
by side. Though the mother of little Mary was a brave 
woman, it was ver}- tr3'ing to her to thus give up her only 
child. It was necessary, however, not to waste time and so 
they were soon on the march again, Griscom leading the wa}-. 

He intended to go within about a mile of the town and 
then let Pierre DeVan, the Frenchman, go to the village in 
his full Indian dress, representing that he had been with four 
Indian hunters going to the Ohio river; that he had shot a 
deer and while following its trail had gotten lost from the 
party and failed to find them, his purpose being to find the 
number of men in the village and if he could, to see Mrs. 
Talbert and give her a word of their i)lan. 

Griscom, after finding a good hiding i)lace for the i^arty. 



112 PIONEER HISTORY OF INDIANA. 

went with him near to the town. As they went he found a 
g-ood place for defense, not more than half a mile away to 
which he could bring- the rest of the party. He told DeVan 
that when he had accomplished his mission to come to this 
place. 

The party was moved up to the new position Griscom 
had found. It was after dark when DeVan came slipping- into 
camp and reported that there were eight or nine warriors and an 
old man who seemed to be the head and that he had seen the 
white woman and the boy but not the other children. The 
Indians seemed to want him to go away as they told him his 
friends were to the east. As there was a big creek he could not 
cross to the south but would have to goto the east quite a dis- 
tance, then south. While the old man and the warriors were 
in consultation he had a chance to sa)' onh^ two words in Eng- 
lish to Mrs. Talbert — "Friends near." She said nothing but 
looked at him as if she understood. The old man sent a 
5"Oung Indian with him for about two miles east and put him 
in a trace that would take him to the creek where he could 
cross it. He went south far enough to feel sure that he was 
not watched, then turned into a thicket, waited for dark and 
came into camp. 

They all held a consultation and it was decided best not 
to attack the Indians as there were too many warriors, but to 
try and get Mrs. Talbert by stealth, if possible and not to at- 
tempt that until late in the night. 

Waiting until after eleven o'clock, DeVan, Murtree and 
Greenway started, the hunters intending to go near the edge 
of the town so that DeVan could have a point to come to if 
attacked. Then DeVan was to do his part in his own way. 
Everything was ver}- quiet for nearly an hour after the}' had 
taken their station. At that time three Indians came to the 
town and the)' must' have been bearers of bad news for soon 
there was great excitement among them. Two women were 
screaming and tearing their hair. 

It was fully two o'clock when ever3-thing was quiet 
again Soon the stillness was broken and a terrible noise 
raised by the snapping and snarling and howling of many 



PIONEER HISTORY OF INDIANA. 113 

dogfs and the screaming' of a child, which raised a great com- 
motion among- the Indians. Soon the Frenchmen with the 
little boy in his arms and Mrs. Talbert after him came run- 
ning to where the two hunters were. The child was still moan- 
ing so loud that the Indians could tell the direction in which 
the}' had g-one. It was placed in its mother's arms and she did 
all she could to make it. keep still. DeV.an told the hunters 
it was best for them to take the woman and. child back to the 
others and for all of them to start north b}* the north star and 
leave him to check the Indians. The}' did this and it was 
bui a little w^hile until the crack of a rifle was heard, 
then everything became still. The party had been slipping 
away for some time when another rifle was heard but a little 
way to the rear. In a few moments DeVan came up with them 
and told them to go as they w^ere until just before day and to 
find a good place for defense, then stop at that place; that 
there were several Indians following them but he would keep 
them in check until daylight. 

Just at the break of day they came to a small creek where 
there was some large fallen timber that would make a good 
place for defense. Hurriedly piling logs between two large fall- 
en trees they made tw-o end walls which provided a fort that 
could not be successfully attacked unless the enemy had such 
numbers that they could carry it by storm. Soon another 
rifle shot was heard and this time a shot was fired at the 
blaze or flash of De Van's rifle. In a few minutes DeVan was 
seen and would have passed had not Murtree ran to him 
and brought him 'into the improvised fort. They kept 
a careful watch for the Indians and in a little while two were 
seen, half bent one behind the other, following the trail made 
by DeV^an. Green way and Murtree instantly fired on them. 
One fell and the other showed that he was hit but managed to 
get behind an obstruction. Another Indian rushed to the one 
shot down and dragged him out of sight, Le\'an shooting at 
him but missing him. After this, during all the day a sharp 
look-out was kept but no more Indians made their apjjcar- 
ance. ' 

The little boy who was hurt in the morning was suffering 



114 PIONEER HISTORY OF INDIANA. 

very much. DeVan said that when he ran out of the Indian 
tepee with the child in his arms, on running- around it he ran 
into a dog- kennel where an old bitch had a litter of good- 
sized pups and such another fuss as they made he had never 
heard before and the old dog bit the child through the calf 
of the leg. 

In the evening- not long before sundown there was heard 
in the woods to the west of them the chattering of many 
squirrels, which was thought very probably to be caused by 
slipping Indians, and a very sharp look-out was kept in that 
direction. Just as the grey dusk of evening came on Mr. 
Griscom had his arm broken b)^ a shot that came from a tree 
not more than sixt)^ 3^ards away. The Indian had climbed up 
a little tree behind a larger one so that he could see over the 
log pile. When he shot he tried to get back of the large tree 
but in his hurry the small tree swayed so much with him that 
his body came into view from back of the large tree and 
DeVan shot him, his bod}' falling to the ground. 

After this ever3'thing became still and the hunters held a 
consultation to ag-ree on a plan to pursue. They could not 
form a correct idea of the number of Indians beseiging them 
nor were the}' certain that there were an}', but they thought, 
as they were encumbered with two women, the child and the 
wounded man, that they had better not run any more risk 
than was necessary. They agreed that they would remain 
where they were until the middle of the night and then at- 
tempt to go to the bluff. In the meantime DeV^an would be 
making a reconnoissance around the camp and along the 
route they were to g-o. After he had been gone a while the 
hooting of an owl was heard in the direction they had come 
that morning. After a little while it was repeated and soon 
it was answered not more than a hundred yards from where 
they were. DeVan returned and said that he was certain 
that ihe answer to his owl call was made by Indians and that 
they were but a little way off — that he had gone to the north, 
the way the little party would have lo go. for about three 
hundred yards and had not seen or heard anything, so they de- 
cided to get away. 



PIONEER HISTORY OF INDIANA. 115 

Greenway, Murtree and Griscom and the women started 
to the north, DeVan asking- the privilejje of sta)'ing- in the 
n?ar. They had to travel ver}' slowl}- owing to the brush and 
fallen timber and had gone but a little way when a shot was 
heard and in a little time another, then two more in quick 
succession not more than two hundred yards behind them. 
They came to a large fallen tree and determined to stop and 
fight it out, but had just gotten into position when DeVan 
came up with them. He told them he thought it best for 
them to continue their march as he had fired at an Indian the 
first lime not more than fifteen feet away. The last shot he 
had fired was at an object about eighty yards away and that 
two shots were fired at the blaze of his gun, one of them 
splintering his g-un stock. He could not tell how many In- 
dians there were but there were too many for them with their 
small party. He said he thought he could keep them back 
but if he found that he could not he would come to them 
and they would find a place for defense. 

The women and hunters started again and had gone 
about half a mile when DeVan hurried up to them and told 
Griscom and the women to g^o as fast as the}' could for as 
much as a hundred yards and then to halloo and scream loudly 
for a little while and he and the other two men would get in- 
to a good position and wait for the Indians. 

They came to the forks of a good sized creek and soon 
had a good position. The hallooing and screaming were 
heard and as the}' expected, in three or four minutes six or 
seven Indians came came into view hurrying on to where the 
noise was made. All three of the men fired and killed two 
Indians, while the rest were heard running- away. One of 
the hunters brought the rest of the party back to their posi- 
tion and they all remained there until after daylight but saw 
no more Indians. 

At daylight they started again, this time leaving Green- 
way and Murtree to stay at the creek for a while to see if 
any Indians would follow, and having- DeVan pilot the party. 
They had gone but a little way when they came to objects 
familiar to Mr. Griscom and were soon at the south end of 



116 PIONEER HISTORY OF INDIANA. 

the bluff. In a short time the two hunters came up with 
them and the)^ went into their temporar}^ camp. Fortunatel)^ 
one of the party had killed a deer and some of it was soon 
prepared and ready to cook. After thus refreshing- them- 
selves, they went to their island home, from which they had 
been gone only three da)^s and two nig-hts but during- that 
time the}" had underdone enoug-h exciting eqperiences to last 
a lifetime. 

After the very exciting experiences that the three hunt- 
ers had gone through to liberate Mrs. Talbert and her child 
from ihe Indians they rested for several days in their com- 
fortable quarters at the island. Mrs. Talbert's little boy was 
ver3' ill for some time from the dog biie. Mr. Griscom's arm 
was ver}' sore, the ball having fractured his arm and it was 
several weeks healing. Mrs. Talbert said that the Indians 
who captured the boat at "Diamond Island" belonged to two 
banub, oiie of tiiem lo the town she was taken to "six miles 
south of Owensville," the other belonged to a much larger 
town farther north; and the reason the Indians who had Mrs. 
Griscom and family would not go into the town she was taken 
to was, that the two factions had a disagreement about the di- 
vision of prisoners and spoils taken at the boat and the}" were 
afraid the other Indians would take their prisoners away from 
them. She said that if the Indians that had her and her 
child had any knowledge of the Indians that were killed at 
the bluff, they never made it known to her. The Indians 
that came into the camp the night DeVan came after her 
were all that were left of ten from the town who at- 
tempted to capture another boat on the Ohio river and the 
women who were crying and tearing their hair were the wives 
of two of the Indians killed. She said that these tv/o women 
would have killed her and her child that night if the old chief 
and two other men had not ptotected her. She also said that 
the two Hope children were given to three Indians of one 
family who had helped capture the boat and were adopted by 
the mother to take the place of a boy and girl of hers who 
had died. 

A few days after Mrs. Talbert and her child had arrived 



i 



PJONEER HISTORY OF INDIANA. 117 

at the Indian town, the three Indian liunters, the two white 
children and their Indian mother went away in canoes down 
the small river and were <i^one for five days. When they re- 
turned they had a larg-e iron kettle with them. James Hope 
told Mrs. Talbert that they went down the small river until 
it went into a much larjjer river about one-third as larg-e as 
the Ohio (meaning- the Wabash) and finally they had gone 
into a creek on the west side and left their canoes and then 
they went into a beautiful grove where the Indian mother 
and the two children put up a brush and bark house large 
enough for them to stay in. The three hunters went away 
and did not come back until in the evening of the second day 
and they then had an iron kettle wiih some salt in it. They 
did not say how the}' got it but said they "make salt down in 
the woods some way off." The next morning they took sev- 
eral deer they had killed and starved home. As the}' were on 
their way they stopped at a place not far above the mouth of 
the small river and went into camp, "a very pretty place," 
James said. The Indian mother asked the two children how 
they would like to live in that place and told them — "Maybe 
in one moon we live here." 

The next day they came back to the town. Mrs. Talbert 
learned from an Indian woman that they lived at a much 
larger town north but they had had some trouble and about 
sixty Indians had left and come to that place. She also said 
that there was some trouble even then and it was likely that 
several families would move away in a short time and that 
the Indians with the white children were then on a lookout 
for a new home. Mrs. Talbert said that the same Indians 
and the white children and three other families had gone 
away in canoes the morning before DeVan rescued her and 
she did not know when they intended to return; James Hope 
told her that they said they were going on a hunting trip. 

From their recent experience the hunters felt that it was 
best for them to be well prepared. They built a strong cabin 
for the new addition to their camp and put a heavy stockade 
around their cabins with port holes to shoot from on all sides. 
The guns captured from the Indians wtre inspected and three 



118 PIONEER HISTORY OF INDIANA. 

of them put in serviceable condition and their stock of ammu- 
nition was ample for any probable need. Mr. Griscom's arm 
was yet ver)^ sore but with the aid of his wife and Mrs. 
Talbert who were both experts with rifles, he felt sure that 
he could defend the camp ag"ainst any probable attack while 
the hunters were absent. 

De Van's heroic action during- the perilous retreat when 
Mrs. Talbert was recaptured had raised him high in the 
esteem of his comrads and they had invited him to take the 
place of Doyle and hunt and trap with them and share their 
profits while the camp would be left to the care of Griscom. 
The three hunters intended being on the chase all the time 
and when near enough would return to camp at night. Their 
aim was to hunt for large g-ame during the summer and early 
fall and at the same time explore the surrounding country. 
Greenway and Murtree had land warrants for two enlistments 
and the)' wanted to find a suitable place and when the land 
was surveyed lay their claims. The}' knew that the east side 
of the river was infested with Indians and concluded to do 
their hunting for a time on the west side and inspect the dif- 
ferent creeks and inlets for beaver in order to trap when the 
fur season came. 

They had been hunting and prospecting for several weeks 
and had seen no Indians, so they concluded to go up a good 
sized stream that empties into the Wabash river on the east 
side several miles south of their island camp, on an inspec- 
tion for Beaver signs; (this small river now known as Black 
river drains with its man)' tributaries a large section of fine 
country and at that time was one of the best beaver trapping- 
territories in southern Indiana.) They ran up the river for 
several hours coming to a good sized creek that empties into 
the river on the northwest side. They followed this for 
some distance until they came to point where they could con- 
ceal their conoes and then went on a hunt, agreeing to be 
back to that place at night. 

It was late when DeVan returned; the other two were 
there before him and had prepared a temporary camp. DeVan 
said that when he was about two miles up the river and one 



PIONEER HISTORY OF INDIANA. 119 

mile south of it he heard voices and listeuing found that they 
were coming- nearer. Secreting- himself in a thick cluster of 
vines, in a short time he saw six persons passing- within about 
sixt)' j'ards of where he was hidden. These persons consist- 
ed of three Indian men, one Indian woman and two white 
children, the girl being small and the boy a good-sized lad 
and both dressed in buckskin the same as the Indians. All 
were carrying vessels of different kinds that he thought were 
filled with honey. 

De Van's report made it certain that the two white child- 
ren were near them and in the hands of the Indians and from 
Mrs. Talbert's statement it was almost certain that the}' were 
the Hope children. It was decided to make reconnoisance 
that night in the neigborhood where DeVan saw the Indians 
and see if they could locate their camp. They went to the 
place where DeVan thought he was hidden when the Indians 
and white children went near him. On going in this direc- 
tion for as much as a mile, a dog commenced to bark at them 
not far away. The hunters remained quiet for some time and 
then DeVan proposed that he should go near and find out 
wh}' the dog was there. He had been gone but a short time 
when two or three dogs commenced barking. Talking in the 
Indian tongue was heard but neither Murtree nor Greenwaj' 
understood what they were sa3ing. 

Finally a light was made by pushing the chunks of wood 
up together and several persons were seen moving around. 
DeVan slipped back to the place where the rest of the party 
were and said that he had gotten within one hundred and 
fifty feet of the camp where the fire was and that there were 
three or four wigwams. The Indians thought that it was 
wolves prowling around that caused the dogs to bark so and 
the fire was made up to scare them away. After talking over 
the situation they determined to slip around the camp at a 
safe distance and see what they could find out. 

On going around they found a spring four or five hun- 
dred feet from the fire that evidently was used, as it was 
covered over with fresh brush to keep the sun out; the dogs 
all the time they were walking around keeping up a continual 



120 PIONEER HISTORY OP INDIANA. 

barking- following the direction the hunters were going-. 
Several Indians were seen moving around the fire; finally one 
of them got some splinters and made a torch in order to 
shine the e3'es of whatever animal it was and with their guns 
started in the direction the dogs indicated, encouraging them 
to attack. The hunters saw that they would have to kill the 
Indians or get awa}- and the}^ thought it would lessen their 
chance to recapture the children if they were to shoot the 
Indians so they quietly slipped away in the direction of the 
river. 

The dogs followed them a little wa}' and then went back.. 
The Indians were seen throwing their torches away. The 
hunters went back to their camp satisfied with their night's 
work in locating the Indians' camp where thej' believed the 
children were, the question uppermost in their minds being 
how they could recapture them. They felt it was their duty 
to release them if it could be done but they did not want to 
run unnecessary risk in doing it. 

The}' were some little time in forming a plan of action. 
Greenwaj' proposed that they start back to the Indian camp 
about two hours before da}- and hide themselves where they 
could see what was going on and where the}' would have a 
good view of the spring. At an earh' hour the}' started for 
the Indian camp without any settled plan of what they would 
do more than to keep a look-out for the white children, think- 
ing they might go to the spring for water for themselves. It 
was still dark when they found a suitable place for conceal- 
ment and in a little while smoke was seen coming out of the 
tops of several wigwams. 

Just at daylight three Indian women went to the spring 
for' water and soon after four Indians with their guns started 
on a hunt followed by three dogs. After this there was still- 
ness for some time, then a shot was heard in the direction 
that the Indians had gone and in quick succession two or 
three more shots. The dogs were making a terrible noise as 
if furiously barking at some animal at bay. The Indian camp 
was soon in a stir and two other Indians with guns started to 
the sound of the combat. After going a short distance thev 



PIONEER HISTORY OF INDIANA. 121 

stopped and were seen to examine something on the gfround 
and started to follow the trail made the nig-ht before by the 
white hunters while going around the Indian camp. 

These last two Indians went for some distance, finally hal- 
looed to some one in camp and were soon joined by two other 
Indians. They all followed the trail until it came to where 
the hunters started to their camp when the two Indians 
came out with the torch. The}' seemed to be holding a con- 
sultation and then the last two Indians that had come out 
hurried to the camp and got their guns, all four starting on 
the trail. Soon after the Indians had left. 

A \Vhite bo}' and an Indian woman were seen coming to 
the spring with an iron kettle carried between them on a pole, 
followed b}' a little white girl. When at the spring the Indian 
woman commenced to fill the kettle. The hunters slipped up 
behind them; DeVan caught the woman and tied a thick 
piece of rawhide in her mouth so that she could not make a 
noise and tied her hands behind her. Greenwa}' spoke to 
James Hope, the boy, and told him that Mr. Griscom had 
sent for them. The little girl was badly frightened but 
James quieted her. Hiding the kettle in a thicket the}' started, 
taking a direction that would bring them to the river several 
miles east of that place. 

As the Indian hunters were all gone the captors felt as- 
sured that the Indian woman would not be missed for some 
time. They traveled very fast and before noon they were 
over the river and marching rapidly to the north. DeVan 
told the Indian woman that they belonged to a large band of 
white people who were hunting for the two children and that 
they would get to their camp the next morning. He told her 
that she would not be hurt as she had been good to the chil- 
dren and that she might go and live with them all the time 
or when the}' got to camp she might go back- — she could do 
as she pleased as they did not intend to keep her a prisoner. 

The Indian woman said that she had three sons that she 
did not want to leave and she would go back if they would 
let her. They had made a long march when they finally 
came to a nice camping place. After eating their supper 



122 PIONEER HISTORY OF INDIANA. 

they gathered brush and leaves for beds. They told the In- 
dian woman that she had better go on with them but she 
said she would g-o back. After taking her leave of the child- 
ren she started on their back track very slowly at first but 
was soon seen running like the winds. 

In a little while the rescuing party was rapidly march- 
ing awa}', shaping their course so they would strike the Wa- 
bash river near their island camp. The}^ marched for several 
miles after the Indian woman left them and on coming to a 
suitable place, rested until two o'clock in the morning when 
the)' again started and a little before day found that they 
were in the neighborhood of the river but could not decide 
how far south of their camp as it was yet quite dark. Con- 
tinuing up the river full}' two miles thev came to familiar ob- 
jects that they knew were about two miles south of the island. 
They had gone one mile further when the)' heard the sound 
of guns firing up the river. The ' could not account for this, 
as there was too much of it for any hunting party, unless it 
was an attack on their fort. 

Hurrying on until within about one-half mile of the fort, 
Murtree went forward to find out what it meant. He was 
gone but a little time and when he got back said that he could 
not see anything of the people at the fort or anyone else and 
that the firing was from the fort and the west side of the is- 
land. Murtree said he thought they could get to the fort by 
keeping themselves well screened by the brush. 

They hurried on until opposite the stockade. They could 
not see anything of the white people but every little while a 
rifle would crack; sometimes two or three of them. The fir- 
ing of those outside the stockade was very rapid at times. 
Leaving the two children in hiding, the three hunters waded 
in as far as they could and swam to the island. Greenway 
and Murtree went to the gate, made themselves known and 
were admitted. DeVan took a canoe back and brought the 
children. The Indians were behind large logs at the water's 
edge firing at the stockade but were doing no damage to those 
inside the works. 

DeVan was near the southwest angle of the stockade 



PIONEER HISTORY OF INDIANA. 123 

when he heard a sound as if some one was strujfgling- or 
stranyfliny: on the outside near the wall. He j^-ot an auyfur 
and bored a hole near the yfround so he could see what it was 
that caused the noise and found that an Indian was lying- 
there in the last ajj-onies of death. He could see another In- 
dian not more than ten feet away who was being- dragged, 
feet formost, with a strap held by some other Indian behind 
a log and soon the dead Indian was out of sight. In a few 
moments he saw an Indian crawl from back of the same log 
and tie a cord to the wounded Indian and drag him away. 
The opening was so small he could not bring his gun to bear 
on the Indian. 

The Indians during all this time kept up constant firing. 
Soon they ceased tiring and Murtree and DeVan went out on 
the east side and crawled around the fort. The Indians were 
in their canoes, some of them having crossed the river, were 
carrying some of their dead and wounded companions up the 
bank. The two hunters got in a good position and fired upon 
them. Those in the fort were firing from the port holes and 
the Indians in two of the canoes that were in the stream were 
returning the fire. The canoes drifted with the current 
down the river beyond gunshot. The occupants rowed them 
to the shore and climbed up the bank, carrying- their bark 
canoes with them. 

After the battle was over and the Indians had gone, the 
hunters made an examination of the island but did not find 
any dead Indians, but pools of blood in many places* made it 
evident that many of them had been hit, 

Mr. Griscom said that two days before two canoes with 
four Indians were seen coming down the river. One of them 
put to shore and two Indians landed and after looking around 
for about a half an hour went back to their canoe. They 
then went down the river and were gone for two or three hours 
and then they were seen coming back, passing on the west 
side of the river apparently paying no attention to the fort It 
was thought they had gone for good but the next day several 
canoes were seen up the river. They landed on the west side 
and went into camp having large fires. "This," said Griscom, 



124 PIONEER HISTORY OF INDIANA. 

"caused us to keep a careful lookout. There were 3'et four 
guns that had been captured in the former battles with the 
Indians that had not been put in serviceable shape. These 
were cleaned up, new flints put in the locks and loaded. This 
gave us seven guns for defense and ever)' precaution was 
taken to have ever3'thing in readiness, all of us determining 
to remain up all night. It was near the middle of the night 
when some objects were seen moving between the fort and 
the west side of the island. We called to them thinking it 
might be you hunters returning but there was no response 
and nothing was seen until jusi at da3'light. At that time I 
was trying to see over the top of the stockade by leaning a 
piece of board out against the timbers and tiptoeing so that 
I could raise ni}- eyes above the top of the wall, when a shot 
was fired at me that cut the side of m}' cap. At once a rush 
was made by a number of Indians to scale the walls and get 
into the fort. Fortunately the women were at their posts 
and shot several times at the Indians not more than forty feet 
away and before the}" ceased their attempt to take the fort 
there must have been eight or ten of them killed or 
wounded." 

The Indians fell back to the west side of the island and 
had been shooting at the stockade until after the hunters had 
gotten into the fort. None of the white people had been 
seriously hurt in the battle. Mrs. Talbert had her cheek 
burned b}' a ball that grazed her face. The Indians in at- 
tempting to storm the fort made a fatal mistake. The white 
people went into a strong log cabin built in the center of the 
stockade with port holes on ever}- side, which was made on 
purpose to repel such an attack. There was but one Indian 
who got over the walls and Mrs. Griscom shot him through 
the head. Another one got on top of the wall and was shot, 
falling inside the fort; several others were shot as they at- 
tempted to get over the wall. Griscom said he was certain 
that as many as six Indians had been killed and as many 
more wounded. From what the}' could see and hear when 
the Indians undertook to storm the fort there were as many 
as twenty-five of them. The heroic action of the two women 



PIONEER HISTORY OF INDIANA. 12S 

saved the lives of those in the fort at the time of the attack 
by beinj^ in the inner fort with two loaded guns apiece. 

After the battle a close watch was kept all day and nig-ht 
but no Indians were seen. The hunters built two more strong- 
cabins and prepared them far defense as well as for comfort. 
By this time it was very hot weather and they decided to 
stay close around ilieir caiup until the weather became cooler. 

The Hoi)e children gave a very interesting history of 
their experience while they were prisoner . The three young 
hunters who had them for their i)art of the boat-light spoils 
were looked up to l)y the other Indians as their very best 
warriors. Their mother, to whom they gave the Hope child- 
ren, was the widow of a prominent chief who was killed in 
Kentucky some years before. In adopting the children in 
place of two of hers who had died she first gave them articles 
that had belonged lo the dead children and then had them 
take off their clothing and put on a buckskin suit, bhe next 
brought some tea in a bowl, sprinkling some of it over them, 
then giving them a small portion to drink after which she 
drank a small portion herself. After this ceremony she took 
them into her wigwam and gave each of them a number of 
skins for their beds. James Hope said that no one could have 
been kinder to them than was this Indian mother. She would 
have them sit down by her and would pat and caress them 
calling them by their Indian names. At other times she 
would look at them and cry most piteously and then caress 
them with all the affection of a fond mother. 

James said that the morning he told Mrs. Talbert that 
they were going on a hunting excursion was the last time he 
had heard of the town where she was jirisoner. Eight men 
and four women besides their Indian mother came to the place 
where he was recaptured with all their effects and none of 
them had heard of their former home since. 

The (iriscoms, Mrs. Talbert and the hunters held many 
consultations about what was best for them to do. They had 
lost what little they owned when the boat was cajitured and 
Mrs. Talbert had lost her husl)and. If they wanted to do so, 
they could not go back to \'irginia and they did not have 



12h PIONEER HISTORY OF INDIANA. 

friends or relatives at an}- other place. Thecountr}- on every 
side was a wilderness roamed over by hostile Indians. At 
Vincennes and Kaskaskia there were small settlements of 
white people and a few American soldiers were in forts at 
these places but there was nothing the}' could do if they went 
there. The people there, outside the soldiers, were of an- 
other nation and were onl}- friendl}' to the Americans because 
they hated the English more. 

These unfortunate people were high minded and did not 
want to be a burden to the hunters who were there for the 
profit of hunting and trapping for fur. The hunters pro- 
posed to Mr. Griscom that he, his wife, Mrs. Talbert and the 
two Hope children, should remain on the island until they 
could do better or the high water forced them to go away and 
Griscom should assist them in hunting and trapping and 
share in the profits; the two women, with the help of the 
children, taking care of the camp. This was agreed to and 
everything was put in readiness for the fall and winter's hunt, 
all the time being ver}' careful to keep watch for the Indians. 
Greenwa}' made a trip to Vincennes during the warm 
weather and learned that there was great activity among the 
Indians; that they were continually on the war path and that 
there had been mau}^ skirmishes between them and the Ken- 
tuckians who were alwa3's as read}' to fight as the Indians 
were. 

The warm weather had finall}' gone and the fall had 
come. The hunters were on the chase killing bear and deer. 
Buffalo were plent}' in small herds and many of them were 
killed. The meat was cured by drying it and the hides pre- 
pared for market. There were no incidents other than come 
to hunters during the fall and winter. The}' secured the 
hide of many beaver and other fur bearing animals. Near 
the last of February the high water came and they had to 
abandon their comfortable quarters, all g'oing to Vincennes 
to sell their peltry and live until the water went down. 

Griscom and his wife remained for several years in the 
neighberhood of Vincennes, hunting and trapping but finally 
moved to the Illinois countrv. 



PIONEER HISTORY OF INDIANA. 127 

Mrs. Talbert married a (lischart^ed soldier at Vincennes 
and later moved to the neighborhood of the Yellow Banks 
now Rockport. , 

The two Hope children, James and Jane, found a soldier 
in the fort at Vincennes who was a cousin of their mother's. 
He took them in chary:e until his enlistment was out and then 
went with them to the country north of the Cumberland river 
not far south of where Bowling Green, Kentucky, is now 
located. 

Greenwa}', Murtree and DeVan enlisted in the army and 
were with Wayne at the battle of Maumee. After the war 
was over DeVan came back to his old hunting grounds and 
was on the chase until just before the battle of Tippecanoe 
when General Harrison engaged him as scout to do some work 
in finding out what the Indians west of the Wabash were 
doing and if it were likely the Prophet could control them. 
His report was so satisfactory to General Harrison that he 
enlisted him in the army and gave him an easy position in the 
quartermaster's department. 

Murtree after the war of 1812 was aver was mustered out 
at Niagara Falls, finally came west and laid warrants on land 
in Posey count}'. 

James Greenway was promoted to a Quartermaster's Ser- 
geant and was in the regular army for many years. Afier 
the last war wiih England was over General John I. Neely, 
who was an aide-de-camp and Adjutant General to General 
Wm. H. Harrison, was detailed by the government to settle 
up the quartermaster and commissary business at several 
military stations in the northwest. James Greenway, a (juar- 
termaster-sergeant was detailed and ordered to report to Gen- 
eral Neely for duty in closing out the surplus (juartermaster 
supplies and he proved to be a very comi)etent man in his 
line of business. They were at this work more than a year 
and in this way became very well acquainted. During that 
time Greenway showed General Neely the notes of the prin- 
cipal events of his life for many years before the date the_y 
were working together. The locality mentioned in the notes 
was familiar to the General and he secured a copy of them; 



128 PIONEER HISTORY OP INDIANA. 

in this wa}' the data for this chapter was secured. General 
Neel_v was v^er}- much interested in the stirring- events that 
took place twenty-five 3'ears before that time in the neigh- 
borhood of his home, as the}' were narated to him b)' Green- 
wa}'. 

When they had finished the work the General invited him 
to visit him and thej would then g-o over the places men- 
tioned in the notes. This invitation was accepted and in the 
fall of 1818 Greenway secured a furlough and visited him at 
his Gibson count}' home. 

They were hunting- several weeks together and during- 
that time they went to Coffee Island and up Coffee bayou to 
what is known as Brushy pond, thence over the old trace to 
the bluff. The located the g-rave where Thomas Doy.le and 
Mary Griscom were buried in 1793. They at that time had 
filled the last two feet of the grave with various sized rocks 
to keep the animals from dig-ging- the bodies out and it was 
by these rocks that the General and Greenway now identified 
the g-raves. By the invitation of General Neely, Major David 
Robb, who was an old Tippecanoe comrade, was with the 
party the day the g-raves were located and he, being a sur- 
veyor, took the following notes: 

"On the level land at the base of a high bluff. Thomas 
Doyle and Mary Griscom are buried in the same grave. 23 
feet northwest of the northwest point of the bluff, located in 
the southwest quarter of section thirty-three, township two, 
south, range 12, west, the survey of 1804." 

In 1867, Captain David F. Embree, a grandson of David 
Robb, showed the auihor the notes that had been made in 
his grand-father'^ field note book of that early day, also on 
the same leaf the notes of young Ziba Foote"^ who was 
drowned in Foot's pond in 1804 was recorded as being located 



Author's Note — Young Foot referred to was an engineer from the 
east and was with one of the surve5'ing corps in southwestern Indiana late 
in the fall of 1804, surveying the land that was ceded by the Indians to the 
United States in August of the same year. He attempted to cross Foot's 
pond (named for him) on a frail raft, that came apart and let him into deep 
\vater and he was drowned. Years afterward his brother, Dr. Foot, pur- 



PIONEER HISTORY OF INDIANA. 129 

in section 21, township 3, south, rang-e 13, west. 

After the visit was over Greenway returned to his post 
and nothing more was heard of him until 1827 he wrote Gen- 
eral Neeley this letter: 

"St. Louis, Mo., June 14, 1827. 
General John I. Neely, 

Princeton, Indiana. 
Dear Sir: — 

I will have finished my seventh enlist- 
ment in the army on the 24th day of August, this 
year. I intend to come to Indiana and will call on 
you. I want to go to the bluff and have a large stone 
cut out of it, if it is sound rock and place it over my 
cousin, Thomas Doyle's, grave. I hope, sir, that 
everything has been favorable to you. I am 30ur 
obedient 

James Greenway." 
He never came and this is the last General Neely ever 
heard of him. 



chased a stone quarry at Bedford, Indiana, had the bones of his brother 
taken up from where they had been buried on the banks of Foot's pond and 
carried to Bedford where he had a grave cut out of a soljd limestone rock, 
put the bones in it and sealed them up. 



CHAPTER VI. 



Organization of Indiana Territory — William Henry 
Harrison — General Gibson, Secretary — Territorial 
Judges Appointed — Slavery Question^ — Laws of In- 
denture — Specimens of Indenture Papers. 



On the division of the territor}' of the United States 
northwest of the River Ohio, b}^ an act of Congress, Ma}' the 
7th, 1800, Indiana Territor}- comprised all of the northwest 
territory except that which soon became the state of Ohio. 
The people retained all the laws and rights that were given 
to them b}' the Ordinance of 1787, that had been in force in 
the Northwest Territory. On the 13th of May, 1800. Wil- 
liam Henr)^ Harrison (who was a native of Virginia and at 
that time a member of Congress from the Northwest Terri- 
tory) was appointed governor of Indiana Territory-. General 
John Gibson, who had fought through the Revolution from 
the commencement to the close and had come out of the war 
with the rank of a General, was appointed secretary. The 
secretary arrived at yincennes, which had been selected for 
the seat of government for the Indiana Territor}-, in July and 
in the absence of the Governor he appointed military and civil 
officers. It was not until Januar}-. 1801, that Harrison came 
to Vincennes where, by proclamation he called the Judges 
William Clark, Henry Vanderburg and John Griffith, who 
had been appointed Territorial Judges, to meet at the new 
territorial capital, Vincennes, for the purpose of adopting 
such laws as were required for the government of the terri- 
tor}' and and for the performance of other acts conformable 
to the laws and ordinance of Congress. 



PIONEER HISTORY OF INDIANA. 131 

The governor and the judj^es, accordinj^ly, met at Vin- 
cennes on the 12th of January, 1801, and continued to hold 
session from day to day until the 26th of the same month, 
when they adjourned after havinjjf adopted and published 
seven laws and three resolutions as follows: 

1. A law supplemental to a law to regulate 
count}' levies. 

2. A resolution concerning attorneys and coun- 
selors-al-law. 

3. A law to regulate practice of the general 
court upon appeals and writs of errors. 

4. A law respecting amendments and jeofail. 

5. A law establishing courts of general cjuarter 
session of the peace in the counties of Knox, Ran- 
dolph and St. Clair. 

6. An act repealing certain acts. 

7. A law appointing a territorial treasurer. 

8. A resolution for the establishment of ferries. 

9. A law concerning the fees of officers, 

10. A resolution, concerning the compensation 
of the clerk of the legislature. 

The territorial judges held their first session of court of 
the Indiana Territory at Vincennes, the 3d day of March, 
1801. The first grand jury impanelled in the Indiana Terri- 
tory was composed of nineteen person: Luke Decker, Antoine 
Marshal, Joseph Baird, Patrick Simpson, Antoine Petit, 
Andre Montplaisure, John Ockilpree, Johnathan Marney, 
Jacon Trevebaug, Alexander Valley, Francis Turpin, Fr. 
CompHgnoitte, Charles Languedoc, Louis Severe, Fr. Langue- 
doc, (ieorge Catt. John B. T. Barois, . Abraham Decker and 
Phillip Catt, 

The law machinery of the territory being constructed, 
the (juestions that came principally before the courts and 
which attracted more attention than any other subject during 
the first years of the Indiana Territory, were land specula- 
tion, the adjustment and settling of land titles and the per- 
plexing question of slavery that had been in existence in the 
Territory for sixtv-five vears before the ordinance of 1787 



132 PIONEER HISTORY OF INDIANA. 

was adopted and was one of the most stubborn!}' contested 
questions before the courts. The courts, unfortunate!}' for 
those interested in having- the wise provisions of the ordinance 
of 1787 carried out, were in sympathy with the slave-ho!ding- 
element. Governor Harrison, after assuming contro! of the 
affairs of the territory, exerted his t nergies in trying to ac- 
quire !ands from the Indians by treaty. (A history of these 
treaties is found in the cliapter on "Harrison in the Tippe- 
canoe Campaig-n.") 

W!]en the Indiana Territory was formed, Vincennes was 
the town of the most importance. At that time there was a 
sma!! seti!en:ent where the town of Lawrenceburg-c, Dear- 
born county, now stands. At Armstrong station oji the Ohio 
there was a smal! settlement and at Clarksville, opposite ihe 
Falls of ihe Ohio, there was another small one. Outside of this, 
in what is now the state of Indiana, there were no other set- 
tlements by the white people except an occasional adventurer 
who had been a prisoner or raised among the Indians, settling- 
in some section near. an Indian town. The only mode of com- 
munication between the stations of Indiana Territory was by 
the Ohio, Mississippi or Wabash rivers. Detroit was a town 
of considerable importance but had been destroyed by lire in 
1798. It was so remote from the sections bordering on" the 
Ohio river that intellig-ence from that section was only ob- 
tained probably, once a year. The mode of communi- 
cation between the Ohio Falls, A^incennes and the farther 
western stations was along- the old Indian trace connecting- 
these places, which had been there from time immemorial. 

For many years before the capture of the Northwest Ter- 
ritory from the British by General Clark, the French inhabi- 
tants of the settled stations Vincennes, Kaskaskia, Detroit and, 
Other places, held slaves and dealt in them as they became 
wealthy in the fur trade. Some of these traders made annual 
trips down the Mississippi to New Orleans and broug-ht back 
slaves, men and women. It is safe to say that at thetime Vin- 
cennes was captured in 1779, the different posts in the North- 
west Territory had more than 200 neg-ro slaves. Adding to 
this the increase from natural cause and from those brought 



PIONEER HISTORY OF INDIANA. 133 

in from Virginia, Kentucky and the Carolinas, uj) to the time 
that Indiana Territory was formed and William Henry Harri- 
son was made its yfovernor, there were more than three hundred 
slaves in the Northwest Territory, leaving: out what soon be- 
came the state of Ohio. There was little notice taken of 
slavery. Harrison was from Virjjfinia and favored slaverv vet 
he issued a proclamation prohibitinj^; the removal of inden- 
tured negroes from the Territory. 

The United States jud<2;es appointed were owners of 
slaves. In the summer of 17'»4 Judjife Turner, under (Gover- 
nor St. Clair's administration of the Northwest Territory was 
at Vincennes holdinj^- court. Durinjjf that term he had a ser- 
ious misunderstanding^ with Jud^^e Vandaburjjh who was the 
Probate Judg-e of Knox county, Northwest Territory. In the 
midst of the controversy a neyfro and his wife held as slaves 
by Vandaburjfh aj^plied to Judj^^e Turner's court for emanci- 
pation by writ of habeas corpus. The evidence was all in and 
Judj^e Turner would have ^iven them their freedom but the . 
ni«fht before the decision was to be j^iven the ney^roes were 
kidnapped, carried south and sold. 

The author here g-ives a specimen of a decision by the 
three federal judjjes, Vandaburjjfh, Clark and Grii!in, durinj^ 
Harrison's administration. There were proceeding's broug^ht 
for the emancipation of a negro and negress that had been 
brought into Indiana Territory from Kentucky and held with- 
out compliance with the formalities of the indenture laws. 
Influential people aided these negroes in making a habeas 
corpus proceedings by which they were released, on a techni- 
cal insufficiency of evidence for the claimant. The full court 
made a ruling that the negros were not fugitive from slav- 
ery. 

After this decision the party claiming the negroes at- 
tempted to carry them out of the Territory and back to Ken- 
tucky. When new proceedings were instituted, which was 
tried in 180f>, the judges heard the case and decided that the 
negroes were neither fugitives frt)m justice nor slavery and re- 
leased them. They further said, in giving their opinion, that 
this order was not to impair the rights of the defendants or 



134 PIONEER HISTORY OF INDIANA. 

an)' other person who should have them for slaves provided 
the defendant or an}' other person could prove them to be 
slaves. 

After this the two neg-roes built a cabin on the banks of 
the Wabash river near Vincennes from which place they were 
kidnapped b}- a Frenchman hired for that purpose, carried to 
New Orleans and sold into slavery. With such a trio of 
judg-es as those making- this decision was there any wonder 
that slavery was in full force in many places in Indiana Ter- 
ritory at the time the state was admitted to the union? 

In 1803 the United States purchased from France for the 
sum of fifteen million dollars ($15,000,000) the territory that 
has since been divided into the states of Louisiana, Arkansas, 
Missouri, Iowa, Kansas, Nebraska, North and South Dako- 
ta, Montana, Wyoming-, Indian Territory, Colorado, and that 
part of Minnesota west of the Mississippi river. During- the 
year of 1804 all that country north of the thirty-third deg-ree 
was attached to Indiana Territory by Congress and was under 
the control of Governor Harrison. The next year this Loui- 
siana Territory was detached and org-anized into a separate 
territory. 

On the 22dof November, 1802, Governor Harrison, incom- 
pliance with the wishes of many citizens of the territory, is- 
sued a proclamation notifying- them that there would be an 
election held in the several counties of the territory on the 
11th day of December, 1802, for the purpose of choosing- del- 
eg-ates to meet in convention at Vincennes on the 20th of De- 
cember, 1802. The number of deleg-ates from Knox county 
was four; from Randolph county, three; from St. Clair coun- 
ty, three; Clark county, two. The main object of those who 
favored the calling of the convention was to take into consid- 
eration the expediency of repealing- or suspending article 
sixth of the ordinance of 1787 which prohibited the holding- 
of slaves in all the territory that at that time was in the 
Northwest Territory. 

The convention assembled. Governor Harrison presiding. 
There was a document prepared in which the delegates in be- 
half of the people of the Indiana Territory gave their consent 



PIONEER HISTORY OF INDIANA. 135 

that the sixth article of the ordinance of 1787 mi^ht be sus- 
pended. This document to^^ether with the memorial from 
the delejjates and a number of slave-holding- inhabitants of 
the territory- was laid before Congress and in the House of 
Representatives on the 2d of March, 1803. Mr. Randolph, of 
Virginia, chairman of the committee that this resolution and 
report were referred to, makes this report — "The rapidly in- 
creasing population of the state of Ohio is sufficient evidence 
to your committee that the labor of slaves i-: not necessary to 
prompt the growth of settlements of the colonies in that sec- 
tion. That slave lator, the dearest that can be employed, is 
only advantageous in the cultivation of products more valua- 
ble than any known in that quarter of the United States. 
The committee deems it highly dangerous and inexpedient to 
impair provisions wisely calculated to promote the happiness 
and prosperit}' of the northwest countr}- and to grive strength 
and security to their extensive frontiers. In the salutary op- 
eration of this sagacious and benevolent restraint, it is be- 
lieved that the inhabitants of Indiana will at no distant day 
find ample remuneration for a temporary privation of labor 
and of immig-ration." 

Congress refused to suspend the sixth article of the ordi- 
nance of 1787 in opposition to the views and wishes which 
were afterward expressed in several petitions, resolutions and 
memorial, by the legislative authority and many people of 
Indiana territory, the decision of Congress remained un- 
changed. 

The principal reasons which were assigned by the memo- 
rials in favor of the suspension of the sixth article of the or- 
dinance of 1787, were that such a suspension would be highly 
advantageous to the territory, that it would meet the appro- 
bation of nine-tenths of the citizens of the territory; that the 
abstract question of liberty and slavery was not considered as 
involved in the suspension of the article as the number of 
slaves in the United States would not be increased by the 
measure and the suspension of the article would be equally 
advantageous to the territory, to the slave-holding states and 
to the slaves themselves; that at the time of the adoption of the 



136 PIONEER HISTORY OF INDIANA. 

ordinance slavery had existed in the territor}-; that it was 
made to apply to for a great many years before and that the 
ordinance was passed by Congress without consulting the inter- 
ests of the citizens of the territory, who were in no wise repre- 
sented in that body and the number of slaves would never bear 
such a proportion to the white population as would endanger 
the peace and prosperity of the country. The views of those 
citizens of Indiana Territory who were not in favor of the 
proposed suspension of the sixth article of the ordinance of 
1787, were at different times sent to the committees at Con- 
gress having that matter in charge, in the shape of memo- 
rials and remonstrances. A largely attended meeting of the 
citizens of Clark county was held at Springville; John Beggs 
being elected president and David Floyd secretary. A com- 
mittee was raised consisting of Charles Beggs, Abraham Lit- 
tle, Robert Robertson, John Owens and James Beggs. They 
prepared a memorial which was adopted by the meeting and 
laid before Congress on the 7th of November, 1807. The 
memorial of the citizens of Clark county show that great 
anxiet}" has been and still is evinced by some of the citizens 
of this territory on the subject of the introduction of slavery 
into it. In no case has the voice of the citizens been unani- 
mous. In 1802 at a special convention of delegates from the 
several counties a petition was forwarded to Congress to re- 
peal the sixth article of the ordinance of 1787. 

At that convention the representatives in the eastern 
part of the territory who were at Vincennes were decidedly 
opposed to the petition. Again in the year 1805 the subject 
was taken up and discussed in the general assembly, a ma- 
jority of the members of the House of Representatives voted 
against the memorial and it was rejected as is shown by the 
journal of that house, but a number of the citizens thought 
it proper to sign the same. Among those who fraudulently 
attempted to force this memorial on Congress as the declared 
expression of the majority of the representatives of that as 
sembly were the speaker of the House of Representatives and 
the president of the council. 

Afterward the president of the council was charged with 



PIONEER HISTORY OF INDIANA. 13T 

this duplicity when lie denied havinjjf ever sijjfned the same. 
History jjives the following- account of this paper: 

"This fraudulent paper was forwarded to the Congress 
of the United States as the expressed wish of the legislators 
of this territory. In the present year of 1807 this subject was 
taken up by the legislature of this territory again and a ma- 
jority of both houses passed the resolution to suspend the 
sixth article in a proportion of two to one and it is presumed, 
this action is before you. Let it be understood that when 
this action was taken, that there were but three members of 
the assembl}' present, beside the speaker, who, for certain, 
reasons, positively refused to sign the resolution. As a 
last substitute after the bill was passed, they prevailed on 
the president to vacate his seat and appoint one of the other 
members speaker pro tem. for the purpose of signing the res- 
olution. This doubtful conduct of a small minority of the 
representatives of this territory will be convincing to your 
honorable committee in Congress that those in this territorj- 
are driven to a desperate strait in order to unlawfully hold 
their slaves. 

"It is contended by the pro-slavery element ihat a major- 
ity of the voters of this territory are in favor of annulling 
the sixih article in the ordinance of 1787, while those opposed 
to slavery being- in the territory feel sure that a majority of 
all the voters are opposed in any way, disapproving arfy of 
the provision in the ordinance of 1787, believing that such an 
action would be an insult offered to the Congress of the 
United States. 

"There is a large emigration coming into the section of 
the country around the Falls of ihe Ohio and your committee 
thinks it best for all concerned lo allow the present condition 
of things to remain undisturbed until there is sufficient num- 
ber in different sections of the said territory to form into 
states and to adopt state constitutions. Then all questions 
for the well being and happiness of the people to be g-overned 
by the constitutions can be adjusted in accordance with the 
wishes of the majority." 

^Vhen it became evident to tlie slave holders of the terri-. 



138 PIONEER HISTORY OF INDIANA. 

tory that Congress would not make an}- provision for nullif)^- 
ing the sixth article of the ordinance of 1787, in order that 
they might hold the slaves that were then in the territory, 
the obnoxious indenture laws were passed by the legislature 
in 1807. The provisions of that act are herein given. 

"The laws of the Indiana Territor}' concerning- 
slaves and negro or mulatto servants. An act con- 
cerning the introduction of negroes and mulattoes 
into this Territory. 

"Sec. 1. It shall and may be lawful for any 
person being the owner or possessor of any negroes 
or mulattoes of any age above the age of fifteen 
years and owing service or labor as slaves, in an}' 
of the states or territories of the United States, or 
for any citizen of the said states or territories of the 
United States purchasing the same; to bring the 
said negroes or mulattoes into this Territory. 

"Sec. 2. The owner or possessor of any negroes 
or mulattoes, as aforesaid, and bringing the same in- 
to this territory, shall within thirty days after such 
removal go with the same before the clerk of the 
court of common pleas of the proper county; and, in 
the presence of said clerk, the said owner or posses- 
sor shall determine and agree to whith his or her 
negro or mulatto, upon the terms of years which the 
said negro or mulatto will and shall serve his or her 
owner or possessor and the said clerk is hereby 
authorized and required to make a record thereof in 
a book which he shall keep for that purpose. 

"Sec. 3. If any negro or mulatto removed into 
this territory as aforesaid shall refuse to serve his or 
her owner as aforesaid, it shall and may be lawful 
for such persons, within sixty days thereafter to re- 
move the said negro or mulatto to any place by the 
laws of the United States or territory from whence 
such owner or possessor may or shall be authorized 
to remove the same. 

"Sec. 4. If any person or persons shall neglect 
or refuse to perform the duty required in the second 
or to take advantage of the benefit of the preceding 
sectipn, hereof, within the time there respectively 
prescribed, such person or persons shall forfeit all 
claims and rights whatever to the service and labor 
of such negroes or mulattoes. 



PIONEER HISTORY OF INDIANA. 13<J 

"Sec. 5. Any person removin": into this terri- 
tory and beiny: the owner or possessor of any neg-ro 
or mulatto as aforesaid, under the ajje of fifteen 
)'ears; or if any person shall hereafter acijuire a pvo- 
perty in any ney^ro or mulatto under the aj^e afore- 
said, and shall briny: them into this territory, it 
shall and may be lawful for such person or persons, 
owners or possessors, to hold the said neji^-ro or mulatto 
to service or labor, the male until they arrive at the 
aufe of thirty-five years, the female until they arrive 
at the ag-e of thirty-two years. 

"Sec. h. Any person removinj^f any negro or 
mulatto into this territory under the authority of the 
preceding section, it shall be incumbent upon such 
persons within thirty days thereafter to register the 
name and age of such negro or mulatto with the 
clerk of the court of common pleas for the proper 
county. 

"Sec. 7. If any person shall remove any negro 
or mulatto from one county to another county, with- 
in this territory who may or shall be brought into 
the same under the authority of either the first or 
fifth section hereof, it shall be incumbent upon such 
person to register the name and also the age of said 
negro or mulatto which the said clerk of the county 
from whence and to which said negro or mulatto 
may be removed, within thirty days after such re- 
moval. 

"Sec. 8. If any person shall neglect or refuse to 
perform the duty required by the two preceding sec- 
tions hereof, such persons, for such offense shall be 
fined in the sum of fifty dollars to be recovered by 
indictment or information and for the use of the - 
proper county. 

"Sec. *K If any i)erson shall neglect or refuse to 
perform the duty and service herein recjuired, he shall, 
for every such neglect or refusal, be fined in the sum 
of fifty dollars to be recovered by information or in- 
dictment and for use of the county. 

"Sec. 10. It shall be the duty of the clerk of the 
court of common pleas, aforesaid, when any person 
shall apply to him to register any negro or mulatto, 
agreeable to the i)receding section, to demand and 
receive the said apj)licant's bond with sufficient se- 
curity in the penalty of five hundred dollars, payable 



140 PIONEER HISTORY OF INDIANA. 

to the governor or his successors in office, conditioned 
that the neg-ro or mulatto, negroes or mulattoes, as. 
the case ma}- be, shall not, after the expiration of 
his or her service, become a count}'^ charge which 
bond shall be lodged with the county treasurers, res- 
pectivel3\ for the use of the said counties, provided 
alwa3's that no such bond shall be required or requira- 
ble in case of time of service of such negro or mulatto, 
shall expire before he or she arrives at the age of 
fort}' years, if such negro or mulatto be at that time 
capable to support him or herself by his or her own 
labor. 

"Sec. 11. Any person who shall take or foscibly 
carry out of this territory or who shall be aiding or 
assisting therein an}- person or persons owing or hav- 
ing owed service for labor, without the consent of 
such person or persons, previously obtained before any 
judge of the court of common pleas of the count}^ 
where such persons owing or having owed such service 
or labor resides, which consent shall be certified by 
said judge of the common pleas to the clerk of the 
court of common pleas where he resides at or before 
the next court. Any person so offending, upon con- 
viction thereof, shall forfeit and pa}" one thousand 
dollars, one-third to be used by the county, two-thirds 
to be used by the person taken or carried away. To 
be recovered by action of debt, provided there shall 
be nothing in the section so construed as to prevent, 
an}' master or mistress from removing any person 
owing service or labor from this territory as described 
in the third section of this act. 

"Sec. 12. The said clerk for every register made 
in the manner aforesaid shall receive seventy-five 
cents from the applicant" therefor. 

"Sec. 13. The children born in this territory of a 
parent of color owing service or labor by indenture, 
according to the law, shall serve the master or mis- 
tress of such parent, the male until the age of thirty 
and the female until the age of twenty-eight years. 

"Sec. 14. The provisions contained in a law of 
this territory respecting apprentices, entitled, "an 
act respecting apprentices" shall be enforced as to 
such children in case of misbehavior of the master or 
mistress or for cruelty or ill-usage.. Approved Sep- 
tember 17, 1807. 



PIONEER HISTORY OF INDIANA. 141 

The first laws for the indenture of slaves were made by 
the board of control in Indiana Territory — the governor and 
the three federal judges in 1S()3. They provided that "per- 
sons coming- into the territory under a contract to serve a 
stated period at any kind of labor shall serve that term." 

This contract was assignable to any person in the terri- 
tory if the slaves consented. This law was made so that i)er- 
sons coming to the lerriiory from slave states before starting 
could indenture their slaves for as long a period as they would 
be of service to them; in most cases for thirty years. 

The next attempt to clinch slavery in the territory was 
by an act of ihe Territorial Legislature in 1805. An act for 
the introduction of negroes and mulattoes into the territory 
was passed. Ii pro\-ided that any slave holder in the United 
States could bring aiiy slave over fifteen years old into the 
territory and within thirty da3's after coming, might enter in- 
to an agreement with such slaves before the clerk of a court 
of common pleas as to the number of 3'ears such slaves would 
serve their masters. If the slaves should refuse to agree, the 
master had sixt)' days in which to send him to a slave state. 

The laws of the Indiana Territory concerning slaves and 
negro or mulatto servants passed in 180T w^ere the same as 
those in 1805. Neither of these laws had an)- validity as they 
were in direct opposition to laws passed by the Congress of 
the United States for the government of their Northwest Ter- 
ritory. But notwithstanding all that the indented negroes 
were compelled to serve their mastersfor the time specified in 
the indentures and in many cases those so indentured were by 
one means and another taken into slave states where they 
are sold into slavery for life. Unfortunately the clear cut laws 
prohibiting slavery in the territory did not have much force 
with those intrusted with the administration of the laws. 
There was no secret about holding slaves in all the counties 
of the territory. 

In 1820, four years after the state was admitted into the 
Union, there were one hundred and ninety slaves in servitude 
in Indiana as shown by census report. Knox county had one 
hundred and eighteen; Gibson county, thirty-one; Posey 



142 PIONEER HISTORY OF INDIANA. 

county, eleven; Vanderburg-, ten; the other tweni3'-one were 
held in Spencer, Warrick. Owen, Sullivan, Scott and Pike 
counties. The other twent3'-four counties that were in the 
state at that time had no slaves. Slavery in Indiana did not 
disappear from the census report until 1850. Most of the ne- 
groes who were emancipated by their owners or by legal pro- 
cess were afterwards kidnapped and sold into slavery in the 
south. 

Below is given a few specimens of the wav the poor, un- 
suspecting negroes were fooled, being made to believe the}' 
were signing iheir emancipation papers, when in fact, they 
were signing an indenture that ga-ve the control of their labor 
for a long period of years to their so-called masters who, in 
many cases, pretended to be liberating them. Since writing 
this article it has been thought best to withhold the names 
of those making these pretended emancipation papers and use 
fictitious ones for the reason that man}' of the descendants are 
still living and are among the best people of the state and 
who would scorn any such dishonest action. 

"On the 27th day of July, 1813, I, Joseph Bar- 
ton, have this day set free my slave. Thomas Tur- 
ner, and I hereby make and acknowledge the eman- 
cipation paper for his complete freedom. The said 
Thomas Turner for the privilege of being known as 
a free man, has agreed to indenture his services to 
me for a period of thirty years from date. 

(SEAL.) Joseph Barton. 

""I. Thomas Turner, do hereby accept the eman- 
cipation papers for which I sincerely thank my for- 
mer master and do cheerfully agree to indenture my- 
self lo the said Joseph Banon as per the above agree- 
ment. Thomas Turner. 

July 27, 1813. X My own mark. 

On the 30th day of August this generous hearted Joseph 
Barton sold this negro to a person for five hundred and thir- 
ty-five dollars who smuggled him across the Ohio river where 
he was sold into slavery in the south. 

"I. George Endicutt, have decided to emancipate 
my slave. Job Boyce, and I hereby certify that I this 
day give him his freedom and it affords me the 



PIONEER HISTORY OF INDIANA. 143 

greatest pleasure to bear witness that he has always 
been an obedient, faithful and honest servant. By 
an agreement of the said Job Boyce he agrees to in- 
denture himself to me for twenty-three years, or 
until he is sixty years old. Geokge Endicutt. 
(SEAL; August 30th, 1813. 

"I, Job Boyce, of my own free will do hereby ac- 
cept my freedom papers from my former master, 
George Endicutt, and have agreed to indenture my- 
self to him for ihe time specified in the agreement, 
August 20, 1813. Job Boyce, 

X My own mark. 

(SEAL) Witness, James Boswell." 

''September 26th, 1813. I, Noah Freeman, of 
Indiana Territory, on this date, do hereby emanci- 
pate my slave. Mary Ann, to enjoy all the rights of 
freedom that a negro and an uneducated woman can. 
It affords me great satisfaction to testify that she 
has been a most faithful and obedient servant. This 
paper and her freedom to be in force and effect after 
the 2f)th day of September. 1833. Until that time 
she has indentured her service to me and my family. 

Noah Fkeeman. 

''I, Mary Ann. the former slave of my master, 
Noah Freeman, accept my emancipation papers and 
do agree to faithfully work for my former master 
and mistress until the 20ih day of September, one 
thousand, eight hundred and thirty-three. 

Mary Ann. 
X My mark. 
CSEAL) Witness, Jason Brown.'" 

"This is to certify that I. James Hartwell, of 
my own free will and accord, do this day emancii)aie 
and give freedom to a negro slave, named <^harles 
Hope, brought by me from North Carolina. In mak- 
ing these papers I want to bear testimony to the 
painstaking and careful way he has done his work, 
and that he is a quiet and most obedient servant and 
has always been very easily managed. For these 
good (jualities it affords me great pleasure to be able 
to give him his rightly earned freedom. For some 
necessary e.xpenses that has to be incurred before he 



144 PIONEKR HISTORY OF INDIANA. 

can leave the home he has so long lived at and for 
the love he has for me and m}" famih', he hereby 
ag^rees to indenture his services to me for twenty- 
nine years from the ISth of October, 1809, which is 
the date of this agreement. James Hartwell. 
(SKALj 

"I, Charles Hope, do hereb}' acknowledge ni}- 
thankfulness to my master for the kindness he has 
shown in setting me free and I cheerfully accept the 
conditions in m}- freedom papers and agree to serve 
the time specified, or until death. 

Charles Hope. 
X His mark." 

Note the meanness of this hyprocrite who made the great 
show of giving this negro pretended freedom with such a good 
certificate of character, which would make the negTo more 
saleable when he had an opportunit}' to sell him; and on the 
fifteenth da}- of the next November he did sell him to a neigh- 
bor for four head of horses, ten head of cattle and one hund- 
red acres of militar}- donation land and a promissor)' note for 
three hundred dollars. The next year this negro went with 
his master down the Wabash river on a pretended trip to the 
saline country of Illinois, but was carried farther south and 
was sold into slavery for life. 

In 1805 the Kukendal faniil)% b}' their agent, Samuel 
Vannorsdell, had two negroes arrested and were attempting 
to carry them out of the territor}' when Governor Harrison 
issued a proclamation forbidding their removal, as Vannors- 
dell did not have the consent of the negroes to remove them. 
This brought on a spirited law-suit, Governor Harrison and 
others becoming bondsmen for the negroes. The case went 
over to the next term of court. At that term the two negroes 
were produced in court but in the meantime Governor Harri- 
son had indentured one of them for a period of eleven 3^ears. 

In 1854 the author was visiting a family in an old set- 
tled portion of southern Indiana. During that visit it be- 
came known to a young lady of that fanily that he was 
gathering data of incidents concerning the earh' settlers and 
of anything that would be of interest about "Ye Olden 



PIONEER HISTORY OF INDIANA. 145 

Tymes." This youngf lady informed him that they had the 
emancipation and indenture papers of "Old Tome," who was 
their slave and friend, which papers she thought would be of 
real worth to one leathering such data. She said she would 
show the papers and he might copy them provided he would 
not use their names. This was readily agreed to. 

"May 26, 1815. 
"To All Whom it May Concern: 

This is to certify that this day I have set free 
and by these presents do give emancipation papers 
to my faithful servant Thomas Agnew, and from 
this date he shall be known as a free man. Given 
under my hand and seal. Thomas Truman. 

(SEALJ Witness, Joseph Forth. 

"This is to certify that I have this da}' received 
my emancipation papers from my former master. As 
I don't know any other home but the one I have al- 
ways lived at, I do hereby indenturemyself to my mas- 
ter, John Trueman, for thirty years from this date, 
he agreeing to feed and clothe me during that time. 

Thomas Agnew. 
May 26th, 1815. X His mark. 

After the papers were copied this intelligent 3'oung lady 
related this interesting story of Tom's life: 

"Just before the state of Indiana was admitted into the 
Union my father moved here from a slave state and brought 
with him, Tom. whom he had owned from his infanc)'. He 
had no thought that there would be any trouble about it as 
Tom was a fixture in the family. A friend one day told m}' 
father that parties were preparing to bring habeas corpus 
proceedings and emancipate Tom. The only thing my father 
could do was to emancipate him and have him indenture his 
time after he was a freeman. This was done as shown above 
and Tom went on faithfully with his work as before. This 
was nearly twenty years before I was born. 

"The good old faithful slave worked on the farm with 
my father for nearly twenty-seven years after the indenture was 
made, when my father sickened and died. Tom then kept on 
working with my brother the same as before. 



146 PIONEER HISTORY OP INDIANA. 

"On settling- up the estate, it was found that ray father 
was more in debt than had been supposed and there would be 
but little left. 

"A cousin of my father who lived in a slave state where 
he had moved from, held a mortgage on our farm. This- 
cousin was a 'Shylock' and demanded the last cent which 
would take everything, farm and all at a forced sale. He, 
however, made this proposition to my mother: that if Tom 
would go home with him and work for him as long as he 
lived, he would release the mortgage. This, my mother 
would not consent to as Tom had less than two years of his 
indenture term to put in and he was so faithful to the family 
that she would not listen to such a transaction. 

"Tom had learned the condition of things as nothing 
was kept from himand he had planned with this cousin to 
give his life service for the family's comfort. He would not 
consent to anything but that he must go to save the farm 
and the family from want. The agreement was made, the 
mortgage was cancelled and Tom went to the home of his 
new master, now a slave in fact. 

"Some time after this an uncle of my mother died and 
left her several thousand dollars. This made us independent 
and my mother's first thoughrs were of Tom. She went to 
hunt for him and found him faithfully working away. She 
went to his master, told him that she wanted to take Tom 
back with her and that she was prepared to pay him in full 
for his mortgage, interest and trouble. This he refuj-ed, say- 
ing that Tom was priceless and that no money could buy 
him. She tried in every way to have him agree to let Tom 
go with her but he was obdurate. Tom told her not to mind 
him, that there would be but a few more years for him to 
serve as age was creeping on and he would soon be in another 
country where no trouble could come. 

"My mother was a nervy woman and she determined to 
liberate Tom if it could be done. She was advised to go to 
Evansville and see a lawyer by the name of Conrad Baker. 
My mother explained to Mr. Baker Tom's situation and gave 
him a statement of the evidence that could be obtained. She 



PIONEER HISTORY OF INDIANA. 147 

also yfave him the emancipation and indenture papers. Mr. 
Baker told her there was no doubt about Tom beings leg-ally 
free and if he could be jjotten into a free state there would be 
no further need of legal proceedings. It was found that this 
could not be done so proceedings were brought in the county 
where Tom was held in slaverj-, to liberate him. The facts 
with affidavits to back them up were filed with the case. The 
court, after hearing all the evidence, decided that since 
Tom had been g-iven emancipation papers which made him 
free and since he had indentured himself for thirty years and 
had put in over time on that agreement, he was now free. 

"Tom came back to Indiana with my mother and lived 
with our family during the rest of his life and when he died 
we gave him a royal funeral, feeling that we had lost our best 
friend and one of nature's noblemen." 

After Colonel Baker was elected governor of Indiana, the 
author wrote him about this case and sent him a copy of the 
emancipation and indenture papers with a prett}^ full history 
of the case. His reply is here given in full: 

EXECUTIVE OFFICE. 

Indianapolis, Ind., Sept. 20, 1870. 
Colonel W. M. Cockkum, - 

Oakland Cit}', Indiana. 

I am in receipt of your letter tog-ether with the 
enclosure of the 15th inst. It affords me great pleas- 
ure to say that no case in my whole practice as a 
lawyer was so gratifying to me as the liberation from 
bondage of that true-hearted old Nubian, Tom Ag-- 
new. 

I well recollect the lady, Mrs. Trueman, who 
was my client in the case. She was so well pleased 
with the good deed she had been instrumental in 
bringing about that she wanted to pay me three or 
foar times my rightful fee. 

Allow me, my dear Colonel, to congratulate you 
on the loving task that you have assigned yourself of 
perpetuating the history of the Pioneer and the thrill- 
ing events that occurred during that early period. 
There will never be another lime in this country's 
history when such noble, self-sacriticing men and 



148 PIONEER HISTORY OF INDIANA. 

women will live as those who cleared the way for the 
great civilization that will come to our state. 

Very Truly, 

Conrad Baker." 
The author has access to much more data of indentures 
made b}- those having negroes in control at an early day in 
Indiana. That which has already been given is evidence to 
the readers of the way the pro-slavery people of Indiana in- 
tended to perpetuate slavery and that the head of the terri- 
torial government was in sympathy with the slavery parti- 
sans. When the constitution for our state was being framed 
in 1816 ihe slavery clause was defeated by only two votes. 



CHAPTER VTI. 



Settlement of Southern Indiana— The Cruelty of the 
French. 



Durinij all the time from 1790 except the last part of the 
year 1794 and 1795 up to several 3'ears after the formation of 
Indiana Territory in 1800, the country' now known as south- 
ern Indiana was completel}' at the mercy of the Indians, ex- 
cept a mile or so outside the fort of Vincennes, not much be- 
yond the range of the g-uns of the few regulars stationed at 
that post. The great victor}' won by General Wayne over 
the Indians in 1794 on the waters of the Maumee had a very 
pacific effect on all the Indians of the Northwest Territory 
for a 3'ear or so, as nearly every section of that vast country 
had bands of young hunters in that battle; but there were 
bands of roving Indians who were always watching for the 
white people coming to settle in this part of the country. 
The Indians were on or near the lines leading from their 
towns on White river to the Ohio river most of the time in 
spring, summer and fall months. 

It is frequently asked why all southern Indiana was so 
completely under the control of the savage bands of Indians 
at the close of the eighteenth centur}- when there had been a 
post at Vincennes for sixty-five years and a fort with French 
regulars was there as early as 1702. It seems that the French 
people at that time who were as jealous of the settlement of 
the country by other people than their own, as were the In- 
dians and that they were either trappers or buyers of furs 
and did not want this country settled as it would do away 
with their vocation. 



150 PIONEER HISTORY OF INDIANA. 

There was no part of Indiana that was not owned by the 
Indians until 1803 except the strip ceded at Greenville in 
1795 when General Wayne held a treaty with many tribes of 
Indians. The land ceded by that treat}' commenced at Ft. 
Recover}' on the west line of what afterward became the state 
of Ohio running- thence in a southerl}' direction to the Ohio 
river opposite the mouth of the Kentucky river. This line 
was made thinking that the Ohio state line would come to 
that point instead of the mouth of the Miami river. The 
treaty made in 1803 was a part of the Vincennes tract includ- 
ing quite a section of territory in the Illinois country, west 
of the Wabash river. 

The territory obtained by the treaty of 1804 commenced 
on the Wabash river at the south line of the Vincennes tract, 
running thence down that river to its mouth, thence up the 
Ohio river to Louisville; west from that point until that line 
intersected the line of the Vincennes tract, thence around that 
line on the south side to the place of starting. This last 
treatv gave to the United States all of southwestern Indiana 
and at once settlers commenced to come into that territory. 
Before that period they had been warned to keep off the In- 
dians' land both b)' the Indians and the commanders govern- 
ing the Northwest and Indiana Territories. Many persons 
who had started from Virginia. Tennessee and the Carolinas, 
intending to settle in the Northwest Territor}', had stopped 
in Kentucky all along the southern bank of the Ohio near the 
river and were only wating for an opportunity, when the 
United States had possession of the property to emigrate into 
that country. During the 3'ears 1805 and 1806 there was a 
large emigration settled in many parts of southern Indiana. 

The French were as relentless in their cruelty to the peo- 
ple of the colonies before they were defeated by the colonial 
and British troops as were the Indians. It is true that when 
General George Rogers Clark captured Kaskaskia, Cahokia 
and Vincennes in 1779 the French in these places were 
the Americans' friends but the reason for this was that the 
French had been badly beaten b}- the colonial and English 
troops while the colonies were controlled by the English, los- 



k 



PIONEER HISTORY OF INDIANA. 151 

injj their princely possession, Canada, and the Northwest 
Territory and they were ready to befriend and help anyone 
who was against the British. 

The former history of the French when they were the rul- 
ing power in all the country west of the Allegheny mountains 
and north of the Ohio river was full of bloody massacres in 
connection with their Indian allies, in some cases the French 
being more brutal and cruel in their treatment of the helpless 
people on the border settlements who fell into their hands 
than the Indians. 

In the massacre at Fort William Henry in 1C57 by the 
French and their Indian allies, under Montcalm, the French 
outnumbered the Indians five to one. The Indians indiscrim- 
inately murdered the men and carried the women and children 
into captivity, not one of them ever returning to their homes. 

When Captain Beaujeau at Fort Duquesne with four hun- 
dred Indians and thirty Canadians won a complete victory 
over Braddock, these savages with their tomahawks killed 
the wounded and scalped them without protest. When they 
returned to the fort at night the}' were all loaded down with 
plunder and scalps and had fifteen prisoners with them who 
they stripped of their clothing and burned to death on the 
parade ground of the fort where their brutalit)' was wit- 
nessed by one thousand regular Frencn soldiers without a 
protest by any Frenchman. (Narrated by Colonel John Smith 
who was a prisoner at the fort at that time.) 

Again the French and Indians went from Montreal, Can- 
ada, in the depths of winter to Schenectady, New York, cap- 
tured the town, killing all the men and carrying the women 
into captivity to a fate worse than death. This was very 
early in our country's history and is reproduced here to show 
that the savage acts of the French were not confined to a 
later period when the English had given them provocation. 

Lafayette was a brave, generous Frenchman who, of his 
own volition, espoused the cause of the United States against 
Great Britain. He was actuated by no hope of reward except 
the glory that would accrue to him if successful and though 
a very young man he had foreknowledge that was valuable 



152 PIONEER HISTORY OP INDIANA. 

to him. This countr)'' gave him princely presents and loaded 
him with all the honors due to his heroic actions. 

The alliance with France during- our war for independ- 
ence was brought about by our commissioners, mostly through 
the influence that Dr. Franklin had with the men of letters 
in France and through his great influence with the good- 
natured king, Louis XVI. To the United States it was a great 
blessing in time of need and to France it was a great blessing 
to transfer her maritime war with England into the waters 
of her ally. The loans negotiated by Colonel John Laurans 
and others were all paid with a good premium and no doubt 
the French people expected that the United States would 
stand by her in any quarrel she might have with other na- 
tions. In 1793 when she was at war with Spain, M. Genet, 
the French minister to this country, tried to enlist men in 
Kentucky and elsewhere to capture Louisiana and after he 
had been recalled and Mr. Fauchit was sent as minister the 
French tried to involve us in her manj'^ wars with European 
nations and when she found that she could not do that, cap- 
tured and confiscated some of our best merchant vessels. 
When our commissioners attempted to adjust the matter, 
France demanded tribute mone)" for some trumped up claim 
and only released our ships when Commodore Truxton had 
captured two of her best war vessels. 

The United States owes nothing to England or France 
for when either of them had a chance with their Indian 
allies in front, they committed deeds of cruelt}' that will ever 
blacken the pages of histor}'. 



CHAPTER Vlll. 



The Pioneer — Character — Hardships — Routes Follow- 
ed — Settlements — Food — Education — Customs — 
Thrilling and Amusing Incidents — Weddings — Work 
— Dress — Crude Manufactures. 



The close of the Revolutionar}- War in 1783 was an epoch 
in this countr3''s onward march to the great destiny laid out 
for it by the Maker and Ruler of the Universe. The old he- 
roic soldiers came out of that protracted strug-g^le, buoyant 
and hopeful- exultingly proud of the achievements that they 
had been instrumental in brinj^ing- about. They were rich in 
deeds of valor and patriotism but very poor in stores of wealth. 
The country for seven long- years had been over-run by con- 
tending- armies almost from end to end and had been devas- 
tated by lire and sword of a ruthless and cruel enemy. 
Neither age nor sect was exempt from their merciless brutal- 
ity. The gloating and boasting English were cruel and their 
two allies, the detested Tories and the barbarous, savage In- 
dians, committed every atrocious act of cruelty that a brutal 
foe could invent. In many cases the families, homes, towns 
and neighborhoods were broken up, the property destroyed 
and the people murdered or scattered to the four winds. 

When the excitement attending the momentous events 
had, in a measure, subsided, there were hundreds of the old 
heroes who had fought with Washington, Lafayette, Putnam, 
Cireen, Sumpter, Servier and Marion who found themselves 
without any property or occupation and no prosi)oct of better- 
ing their conditions. There was no money but the worthless 



154 PIONEER HISTORY OF INDIANA. 

continental script. The gfold and sih^er had all been sent to 
France and Spain for arms and munitions of war. Many of 
these old heroes were maimed b}" wounds, still more of them 
broken down by diseases that came to them by the severe 
trials and privations of the long- strug-gle for liberty. 

Most of the above two classes were unable to do an3'thing 
and could but remain in the section of their former homes; 
but the strong- and hardy veterans, by hundreds determined 
to better their condition if possible. The fame of Daniel 
Boone was known to them and gflowing- descriptions of the 
rich country west of the mountains on both sides of the Ohio 
river were told them by hunters and trappers and by the re- 
turning- soldiers who had been in the campaig-n of General 
George Rogers Clark when he saved, to the then enfeebled 
American republic, the princel}' heritag-e of the Northwest 
Territory-. 

There was a g-reat uprising- of the people on the borders 
of the colonies nearest the much-talked-of country west of the 
mountains, preparing- to emigrate to new homes. They 
started in every conceivable manner; some on horseback; 
others in two-wheeled carts and still others in wooden-wheeled 
wagons drawn by oxen, probably one-half of them with their 
rifles and axes, a. small bundle of clothing- and with their 
young wives, on foot. These emigfrants settled and made 
their homes in Tennessee and Kentucky, many of them around 
the Ohio Falls and up the Ohio from there. 

The Indians were at war with any who attempted to in- 
vaide what they termed their countrj- which meant all the 
region west of the Alleghan}- Mountains. From the time of 
Daniel Boone's first advent into the wilds of Kentucky in 1769 
the Indians waged a relentless war to drive him and his fol- 
lowers back from their favorite hunting grounds. During the 
next fifteen years man)- of these adventurers were killed but 
the Indians suffered as well. 

About 1785 the old heroes of the Revolution commenced 
to arrive in large numbers and made extensive settlements in 
many sections of the country south of the Ohio and north of 
the Tennessee rivers. The Indians became still more deter- 



PIONEER HISTORY OF INDIANA. 155 

mined to stop this advance and during the next twenty years 
many of the old pioneers were killed, but the Indians suffered 
more and finally were driven north of the Ohio river. After 
that raiding- bands of Indians occasionally crossed the Ohio 
and murdered people in the outlying settlements of Kentucky. 
The whites would organize counter raids and invade the wil- 
derness of the Northwest Territory and punish the Indians, 
at times killing large numbers of them and destroying their 
towns and cornfields. 

As the Kentuckians settled up near the south bank of the 
Ohio river, the Indians moved back farther north, the White 
river becoming the southern line of their principal settle- 
ments, leaving a territory from thirty to forty miles between 
the Indians and the whites from the Wabash on the west to 
the Miami on the east. There were a few small scattering 
Indian towns in the wilderness between the two main lines. 
The men who had fought at King's Mountain and all over the 
thirteen colonies to wrest this country from the tyrannical 
yoke of England were not made out of the sort of material 
that would tamely sit down and let a race of half-naked In- 
dians say that they might come thus far and no farther. 
Boldly they crossed the Ohio or floated down its waters in 
boats to locate in the fertile wilderness of Indiana. 

The pioneers met with a determined opposition from the 
dusky denizens of the forest in their attempts to locate in 
new homes. This was about one or two years before Harri- 
son had succeeded in making treaties with the Indians where- 
by he secured all southern Indiana as far as Louisville and 
many of these emigrants were killed and others had to re- 
cross the river. Those that remained were besieged almost 
every day by the Indians that were lying in ambush, watch- 
ing for an opportunity to shoot the trespassers as they con- 
sidered the emigrants. They had to build strong forts in 
every section where they attempted to form settlements and 
were compelled most of the time to remain within the walls 
of these stockades that surrounded the blockhouses, all the 
time keeping a lookout for their sly enemy. In many cases 
they suffered for the want of food, not daring to go into the 



156 PIONEER HISTORY OF INDIANA. 

forest for g-ame when there was such an abundance on every 
hand. In some sections the only respite the people had from 
their forced imprisonment was when cold weather came in 
early winter. The Indians dreaded the cold and the snow 
and during- such seasons they were mostly in their towns and 
in their wigwams. 

When the pioneers found that the Indians were gone 
they would kill buffalo, bear, deer and turkeys, curing the 
buffalo and venizen meat b}- dr} ing it and making bacon out 
of the bear meat, storing away large quantities of it in the 
blockhouses to have when the weather became warm and the 
Indians were again on the watch for an opportunit}' to des- 
troy them. These men had come with a determination to 
sta}' and make a home for themselves and families. They 
took every precaution for protection against the Indians and 
the}' endured the most trying privations to succeed. More 
people came, thus making the settlement stronger and soon 
small patches were cleared. Often one man was concealed 
and on the watch with his rifle while another cleared a small 
field that was put in corn and vegetables and this was culti- 
vated in the best wa}' the}' could. There was great privation 
endured by these brave people who for weeks at a time had 
nothing to eat but lean, jerked meat of the deer and buffalo 
and a few kernels of nuts and acorns. When the corn was 
ripe enough to be used for food there was great comfort in 
store for those who had become surfeited by eating nothing 
but meat. 

The emigrants who settled in Indiana at an early date 
came over the traces made by the Indians, One of these 
routes was by the way of Red Banks, where Henderson, Ken- 
tucky, now is; thence to the north through Vanderburg- 
county, on through Gibson county to Vincennes. Most of 
these emigrants who made their homes in northern Vander- 
burg county and western Gibson county, came over that route. 
There was another crossing of the Ohio at the Yellow Banks, 
where Rockport, in Spencer county, stands. This route ran, 
to the north through Spencer, Warrick and Pike counties to 
the old Delaware town at the forks of the White river and 



PIONEER HISTORY OF INDIANA. 157 

there was another crossing: at the mouth of Blue river. The 
emigrants who came over this route settled mostly in Harri- 
son and Washington counties. 

The old trace that crossed the Ohio river at Louisville, 
Ky., known to the white people as the Clarksville and Vin- 
cennes trace, that had been a main traveled way from time 
immemorial, was the most favored route and two-thirds of all 
the early settlers w^ho came to southern Indiana, west of 
Louisville, came over that route. The settlers east of Louis- 
ville on the Ohio river or in the countr}- adjacent to it, came 
down the Ohio in boats from Penns3'lvania and Virginia. At 
the treaty of Greenville made with the Indians in 1795 b}' 
General Wayne a small strip was ceded in which parts of sev- 
eral of the eastern counties of Indiana were situated. Man}- 
of the soldiers who were stationed at Ft. Washington (Cin- 
cinnati) as their terms of enlistment expired settled around 
that fort, out to the Miami river and up that river on both 
sides. 

There was a settlement made in 1805 near the spot where 
the city of Richmond now stands. Richard Rue and George 
Holeman were captured south of Louisville, Kentucky, by the 
infamous Simon Girt_v, who was in command of a small band 
of Indians. During a time of their imprisonment they had 
seen the rich, fertile regions ot the Whue Water country and 
as soon as they were released the}' went home and in a 
short time, with some of their neighbors, made the tirst set- 
tlement in that section of the state. At an early date there 
was a settlement at Armstrong Station on the Ohio river in 
Clark count)'. 

The pioneers who first came to Indiana could not have 
remained for any length of time had it not been for the game 
which was so abundant on every hand. They often, for weeks 
at a time, had no other food than the bear, deer and turkey 
meat. They used every sort of substitute for bread, often 
roasting the white-oak acorns and eating them in the place 
of bread with their meat. They would gather the seeds of 
the wild rice and wild barley and mix it with the roasted 
acorn, pounding it all up together, making ash cakes of the 



158 PIONEER HISTORY OF INDIANA. 

meal thus obtained. On such food as this with a bountiful 
suppl}^ of meat, the old pioneers and their families subsisted, 
but as soon as thej^ could raise a patch of corn all this was 
done away with and the meal made from the corn with 
beetles, seasoned with the rich bear grease and made into 
bread was used, and these hardy people prospered and grew 
fat on it. They were perfectly healthy and the children 
raised in this way made the strongest men and women. D3'S' 
pepsia and kindred stomach troubles were not known. There 
was but little opportunity of obtaining an education yet they 
were students of nature and ever}^ day learned useful lessons 
that stood them in need for self-protection and the protection 
of their families. 

In a few years after the first settlers came there were, in 
most cases, those about the forts or blockhouses who could 
teach the j^oung people the first principles of education and 
in after years these people improved the information thus 
gained b}" reading the few books that were in the country and 
many of them became learned in all things needed at that 
time. The young people were married at a much earlier 
period in life than the young people of this day, A boy at 
that time, sixteen or seventeen years old was counted on to do 
a man's work and to do his part in hunting or in scouting for 
Indians. The six or eight years now taken to secure an 
education by our 3-oung people to prepare them to be co nne.ent 
to do their part in ihe gr^at bittle of life was spent by A\ i • 
grand and great-grand-fathers and mothers rreparin;- i";i; 
country so that such great attainn:enis could be secured by the 
present generation. The difficulties in commencing houseke 'p- 
ing then were not so great as now. They did not have to wait 
until they had sived money enough to build a fine house and 
furnish it with the luxuries of life b-fore they t:ot :nar- 
ried, thus spending eight or ten years of the best poruo t of 
their lives and often failing in their expectations. They 
were contented to commence life as their mothers and fathers 
had before them with nothing but what they could manufac- 
ture and devise from the cabin down to all their furniture 
and dress. Instead of spending their time lamenting their 



PIONEER HISTORY OF INDIANA. 159 

sad fortune, they were happy in their love for each other and 
for the g-reat blessing" of perfect health which they enjoyed. 

The possessions of these people worried them not at all 
for neither of them had anything" but a small wardrobe of 
common, warm clothes. They had the great book of nature 
before them and were happy studying its changing scenes. 
Neither did the)' worr}- about dressmakers for the}' all make 
their own clothing from shoe pacs and moccasins to the hats 
or bonnets which they wore. There was no change of fash- 
ion to keep up with and they did not worry about what this or 
that one had for the}- all dressed alike and employed their 
time about more useful thing-s than learning the different 
stj'les of making dresses and clothing. They enjoyed life as 
the)' found it and loved the simple amusements that all en- 
gaged in at that date. Many could go on the puncheon floor 
and dance for hours wiihout fatigue. They had free use of 
their bodies, not being encumbered with tight belts that hin- 
dered them from breathing and did not know what a corset 
was, that garment which at this date holds the body of its^ 
victims as if in the g'rip of a vise. Thus they could use every 
part of their body as freely as nature intended it to be used. 
In raising their children these hardy women furnished all 
the food they needed in infancy from their own breasts, thus 
laying the foundations for strong men and women to take 
their places. 

The clothing of the men and boys was in keeping with 
their daily life and made for the most part of deer skins. 
When this was well dressed it made comfortable and service- 
able shirts. legging"s and coats. Sometimes the women made 
their petticoats of this very useful and serviceable material. 
The deer, elk and buffalo skins furnished the material from 
which all footwear was made. 

In an early day there were many scattered herds of buf- 
falo in all sections of Indiana but no such innumerable droves 
as the later hunters were used to see on the great western 
prairies. The buffalo skin was covered with a shaggy coat 
of kinky wool. Sometimes this was sheared and when mixed 
with a small portion of the wild neiile til)re. to give it 



160 PIONEER HISTORY OF INDIANA. 

strenth, it was carded and spun the same as sheep's wool was. 
Later on, from this coarse thread they wove a cloth using- the 
nettle thread for chain that made strong and comfortable 
clothing. The buffalo hair was mixed with the fur and hair 
of other animals, usually the long hair of the bear, then was 
carded and spun. They knit this into warm, serviceable stock- 
ings but without the fiber of the nettle as it was too short to 
have the needed strength to hold together. 

In most cases the first settlers were young men just mar- 
ried, who, with their young wives, their axes and their rifles 
and such other propert}' as the)" possessed, came boldl}- into 
this then dense wilderness. If they were so fortunate as to find 
any before them, the}' would stop a few days and select a 
place to make their home. They then cut the logs for their 
cabin and with the help of their new found friends would car- 
ry the logs and put them up, covering the cabin with boards 
made with their axes for frows and putting weight poles on 
to hold the boards in place. Cracks between the logs were 
stopped b}' wedging in pieces of timber and then filling it all 
full of mud. A hole of the proper size was cut in the side 
for a door and often the only door shutter was a bear skin. 
For a fire place and chimne}- the}' cut out three or four logs 
the width wanted, at the end of the cabin and built a three- 
sided crib on the outside, joining- it to the building. Layer 
upon layer of mud were then put on the inside of the crib 
making the jambs and backwall as high as needed to be out 
of danger of the fire, letting the smoke take care of itself. 

The floor and carpet were of mother earth. For a bed- 
stead they would drive a fork into the ground far enough 
from the side and end of the cabin, then put a pole in the 
fork and into a crack between the log-s and another pole the 
other way from the fork and to a crack in the logs, thus 
making the end and side rails of the bedstead. After this they 
put other poles lengthways as close as they wanted and piled 
fine brush over this, covering the brush with skins of ani- 
mals. At this time the proverbial blue figured coverlid made 
by their good mothers in their old North or South Carolina, 
Tennessee' or Kentucky homes would come into use with such 



PIONKER HISTORY OF INDIANA. 161 

other bed clothino: as the}- were fortunate enoug-h to have 
broujjfht with them. The deficienc}', if an}', was supplied by 
bear and deer skins. 

They made a table in the corner in the same way as the 
bed was made only it had for a top thick boards made level 
with an axe. For seats the back log was used until it was 
wanted for its j^lace to form the back of the fire, when its 
mate was put in and used for a seat until it was wanted. If 
they were fortunate enough to own an auger, three-legged 
stools were made. 

Many of the first settlers for a few years lived in what was 
called in that day, a half-faced camp, made by putting two 
large forks in the ground the proper distance from a large 
fallen tree to make a twelve or fourteen foot pen then putting 
a pole from fork to fork and other poles from that one to the 
log as closely as they were wanted and then piling brush on 
this. They then rolled logs up to the two sides as high as 
they wanted them leaving the outer end open usually facing 
the south. Large fires were made at this open end during 
cold weather, the occupants lying with their feet to it and 
their heads toward the large log. Usually these camps were 
made in the dry season and by the time the rainy season came 
on they would have plenty of skins to cover them and line 
the sides, thus keeping the rain and cold out and drying the 
skins at the same time. 

These brave peoi)le did the best they could to have the 
comforts of life but they had very little to do with. There 
was not a nail in a hundred miles of them. The settler's 
3'oung wife, his cabin, rifle, axe and possibly a horse were all 
his earthly possessions, but he was rich in good health, de- 
termination and jiluck. With his axe he cleared a few acres 
for corn and vegetables, with his rifle he could have plenty 
of the choicest meats and skins of bear, deer, beaver, otter 
and raccoon to exchange for salt, ammunition and a few 
necessities of life, when he could get his furs to market j^rob- 
ably seventy-tive miles away. 

About what was going on in the outside world he knew 
nothing and cared less for he had a world of his own around 



162 PIONEER HISTORY OF INDIANA. 

him, fresh and crude as nature could make it. Probabl}- he 
had not more than two neighbors and they three to five 
miles away, the onl}^ means of communication between them 
beingf made on foot over a path running- around fallen tree 
tops and over logs, a blaze made on a tree or sapling now and 
then keeping them in the right direction. He had severed 
all connection with his old home and the outside world bid- 
ding adieu to mother and friends and to the early associa- 
tions that are so dear to all. With all this sacrifice he was 
happy and contented and determined to face the great 
battle of life and to win. Nature's volumes were ever open 
before him and he studied well, learning the things need- 
ful for his protection. He was threatened with danger from 
the lurking savages who ever watched for an opportunity to 
destroy him and his home and in many cases did kill and 
capture the whole family, but still others came to fill their 
places. 

When two or three had settled in the same place they 
built forts and in dangerous limes moved iheir families into 
them remaining there much of the time during the summer 
and fall months. While the women were there iheir hus- 
bands and fathers were in the wilderness watching the slip- 
ping enemy, sometimes killing one and again several of them. 
It got so that the Indians dreaded them and came less fre- 
quenih'. The pioneers determined to drive them away so 
that the danger to their families would ce.tse. Finally they 
hunted the Indians in bands and in mau_v battles defeated 
them. They met them on their own grounds, defeating and 
driving them out of this region and on the rains of their sav^- 
age wigwams this beautiful countr}' ha^ been made. 

Sebastian FREDRrcK Mjrdered B/ Indians Near Vin- 

CENNES. 

Some 3'ears ago Hon. Jasper N. Davidson related to the 
author the following interesting story. I asked him to write 
it for this work which he has kindly done. 

"There are man}- things in connection with the early his- 
tor}' of Indiana that doubtless never will be written. The 



PIONEER HISTORY OF INDIANA. 163 

early settlers were surrounded by such thrilling' occurrences, 
attacks by prowling- bands of Indians and savage wild beasts, 
lacking the necessities of life and wanting the neighboring 
enjoyments and communications, that much suffering as well 
as inconveniences resulted from these things. The innate 
desire to possess a home of their own, coupled with the love 
of freedom and religious liberty, led them to plunge into the 
almost impenetrable wilderness, surmounting all obstacles, en- 
during privation hunger and want in a way and to an extent 
that no other people have ever done. 

"No history, either sacred or profane, contains accounts of 
a people who endured more or underwent greater hardships 
or overcame such opposition with greater deeds of daring 
than the early settlers. Knowing ihese things and with a 
tixed and steadfast belief in the Guiding Hand of the Great 
Dispenser or all things, we have a right to believe that the 
discovery and peopling of this God-favored land was provi- 
dentially delayed until such time as a people should rise up 
who could be trusted with the marvelous duties of occupying, 
peopling, redeeming and governing the fairest and best 
country on the globe. 

"None were more fitted for this task than those who set- 
tled Indiana Territory. Just before the close of the eight- 
eenth century the few American settlers who were located 
near Vincennes were driven to the forts in and around the Old 
Post as Vincennes was then called. The writer has with great 
interest listened many times to the accounts of those times 
given by my grandmother. Her father, who was named 
Sebastian Fredrick had come down from Pennsylvania with 
the very earliest immigrants. The family consisted of sev- 
eral sons and one daughter, grandmother. She told of the 
efforts of the heads of the families in their endeavors to pro- 
vide for their own; of how her father with his sons and an- 
other man went about six miles southeast into the sugar 
woods and prepared to make sugar. After everything was 
in readiness the season came on, sap flowed in abundance and 
success seemed to reward their efforts. When the prowling 
bands of Indians learned of the location of the camp their 



\ 



164 PIONEER HISTORY OF INDIANA. 

visits were of daih' occurence and each of the bucks, after 
eatingf all they could of the warm sugar, must have a gfener- 
ous cake or two to carry awa_v with them. This became so 
common and proved so heav}- a tax on the supply that the 
men objected to the amount carried off and they went awa}' 
muttering- in their own tonofue. 

"In a few days these men were sent to the fort for pro- 
visions and to carry in the sugar already made. They left 
g-reai-grandfatlier Fredrick in charge of the camp and to 
keep the kettles going-. Early in the night the savages who 
had become offended by reason of not getting all the sugar 
the3' wanted, finding grandfather there alone, attacked him. 
Evidences next morning when the sons returned from the 
fort, showed that a desperate encounter had taken place, as 
the bodies of two dead Indians and the body of m}' grand- 
father wdth a tomahawk sunken in his skull, were found. 
The tapping gouge had been driven repeatedly into his bod)' 
around his neck and left sticking in the gash as driven in by 
the murderous wretches. There was every evidence of a des- 
perate fight and horrible as the results were there had been 
enough of them left to sugar off all the S3'rup on hand and 
carr}" away all they had made, together with grandfather's 
scalp, gun and all tools. 

"The faithful dog, a large mastiff, l.ving dead near the 
body of his master had been a valiant helper in the fray as 
long as life lasted. A large piece of a buckskin garment 
still between his teeth showed by the blood stains on it that 
his work had not been without results. The savages who 
could travel made their escape and were not again seen in 
those parts as anyone knew of. 

"My grandmother in a year or two after this had a very 
narrow escape and delivery from one of these savages in the 
following manner: 

"It was the custom at the fort for each family or some 
member of it to bear a reasonable part of the burdens of pro- 
viding wood and other necessary supplies for the general 
want. Grandmother, at that time, being a young widow 
(named Glass) with two small boys too young to be of an}- 



PIONEER HISTORY OF INDIANA. 105 

service, was in need of wood. There being- none nearer than 
two or three miles (as Vincennes is located in a large prairie) 
she had secured the use of a horse and small one-horse cart 
or wagon and as women in those da3's, and for man}' years 
after this, were accustomed to the use of the axe, she repair- 
ed to the woods alone for the purpose of gathering and bring- 
ing in a load of wood. While at work she heard a "click- 
click" as if some one were trying to lire a piece of "punk" 
with a pocket-knife or a piece of steel and a flint which was 
then and until much later, the only mode of making a fire. 
Now and then the same sound would greet her ears but beings 
very busy and intent upon getting her load of wood, to re- 
turn to the fort, pa^'ing but little attention to the noise. 
Presentl}' a gun fired some distance from her and soon one of 
her acquaintances from the fort came to her and threw a 
fresh Indian scalp at her feet with the remark 'See Mrs. 
Glass how near you came to losing your life.' She accom- 
panied him some distance in the thick woods to a large 
sassafras stump around which sprouts had grown up thickly 
enough to completel}' hide a man. Here the Indian had hid- 
den and tried to shoot grandmother but the flint lock gun 
would not go off thus giving the white man an opportunity 
to spy him out and with a well-directed shot bring him down. 
The "click-click" she had heard and which led the white 
man to the spot in time to save grandmother's life was the 
failure of the flint on the Indian's gun to strike fire." 

These reminiscences of the dailj' lives of our ancestors 
make us realize clearly how they were constantly exposed to 
the attacks of the stealthy, prowling Indian. 

God never gave life to a truer and nobler set of men and 
women than those who drove out the Indians, subdued the 
wild animals, cleared away the forests and transmitted life to 
the strong hardy race that now occupies this g^lorious countr}'. 

JOHN SEVERNS. 

The first man to make a permanent settlement in what is 
now Gibson county was John Severns, a Welshman who 
emigrated to Virginia with his parents. At the beginning 



166 PIONEER HISTORY OF INDIANA. 

of the Revolutionar}' war he enlisted as a soldier and was in 
the arm_v for a while. Before his time was out he secured a 
furlough and visited his parents in the wilds of West Virginia 
and together with all the famil}- was captured b}- the Ind- 
ians. His father, mother, a 3'ounger brother and sister were 
murdered by them while he and his older brother were held 
as prisoners and taken back to the Indian town somewhere 
on the headwaters of the White River. Mr. Severns claimed 
that during the 5'ears that he was a prisoner, man}' times on 
a hunting excursion with the Indians with whom he lived, 
he had hunted over all the land tributary- to the White and 
Wabash Rivers and over the same land on which he after- 
ward settled. 

After being a prisoner for seven 3-ears he made his escape 
and soon afterward married and settled in Kentuck}- where 
he lived for three 3'ears. In 1790 he came to this dense wild- 
erness and settled on the south bank of the Patoka river, two 
andone-half miles north of Princeton at a point now known as 
Severns' Bridge. By his knowledge of the Indian dialect, 
their manners and customs, he was enabled to make friends 
w^ith them and they permitted him to settle among them. At 
that time there was a large Indian town on the north bank 
of the Patoka river, nearly opposite his home. Mr. Severns 
was a ver}' useful man to the other settlers who came some 
3"ears after. The Indians had the utmost confidence in him 
and on this account he rendered very helpful aid to his white 
neighbors. His older brother, who was captured with him, 
was given to another family of Indians and taken away and 
he never saw him again. This brother was adopted by a 
prominent chief and later married an Indian woman. Man}^ 
3'ears after Mr. Severns had settled in this country, two of 
his brother's sons visited him. They were half breeds and 
were dressed in the Indian costume. He tried to prevail on 
them to leave off their Indian costume and adopt that of the 
white man but they refused, saying that their father was dead 
and they only knew how to live as their tribesmen did and 
they would not leave their friends. 

Mr. Severns lived to a good old age and left several 



PIONEER HISTORY OF INDIANA. 167 

children. One of his daughters married Robert Falls and 
from that union there has been a large family of that name 
in this part of the state ever since, some of them becoming" 
ver}' prominent. William Leathers married one of the 
daughters and many of their descendants are in this section 
yet. 

David Johnson who came to Gibson county in an earl}' 
date, first settled in the southern part of the count}' but in 
1817 located the farm where he spent his life, two miles north 
of Francisco. He was a noted hunter and was at one time 
with a hunting party of which John Severns was one. On 
that occasion the early settlement of that section was dis- 
cussed. Mr. Severns having been here so many years before 
any other white man was accepted as authority on all such 
subjects. He told the party that in the fall of the year 1793 
he was with a half dozen of his Indian neighbors hunting 
and that he stayed all night at an Indian town near the 
forks of White river. During the night two white prisoners 
were brought in, having been captured on the Ohio river. 
Early next morning everything was great excitement; every- 
one was in great glee over the capture and preparations were 
made for the trial and killing of the two white men. First 
two lines were formed facing each other and the two men 
were compelled to run the gauntlet betweens the lines. A 
point some hundred yards beyond the lines of the gauntlet 
was designated as the place that was to be reached to save 
their lives. One of the men was of middle age but frail and 
the other was a strong athletic young fellow. The lines 
were made up of more than one hundred Indians, mostly 
squaws and boys, with enough active men to keep the prison- 
ers from getting away. The young man was the first to 
make the race and he got through the line and to the life 
station without being much hurt — only a few scratches from 
sharp sticks. The older man before he started, held up his 
hands and offered a prayer to God for aid, then commenced 
the race which was not more than half completed before he 
was knocked down by a heavy club in the hands of a squaw 
and was set upon by the horde of squaws and boys and beaten 



168 PIONEER HISTORY OF INDIANA. 

to death. As soon as he was knocked down the young' man 
who was several hundred feet away ran like a deer and jump- 
ed into the throng of red devils and tried to save his friend's 
life but was soon overpowered and drag-g-ed awa5^ For this 
brave act the chief of the village adopted the )'Oung man to 
take the place of a son that he had lost. Mr. Severns on be- 
ing asked why he did not intercede for the prisoners said that 
if he had attempted to interfere it would have cost him his 
life. 

If it were possible to draw the veil and disclose a view 
of the now mist}^ past, man}^ thrilling incidents would be 
seen that would melt the heart of the stoic and the wail of 
despair would be heard from those being tortured for no 
other reason than to gratify the hellish desire of the Indians 
to destroy. These things took place in this grand countr}^ 
of ours now inhabited by happy, prosperous people but once 
covered with Indians and Indian towns. 

From 1785 to 1812 more than two thousand men, women 
and children were carried into captivity from Kentucky, and 
the .Northwest Territory and not one in ten of them was 
ever heard of afterward. No doubt two-thirds of these help- 
less victims were burned at the stake b}" the Indians, the}' 
having no regard for age or sex, but as J03'full3' gloated over 
the death of the helpless infant or its mother as they did over 
the strong warrior whom they had captured. 

The Indian women would employ all manner of cruel 
torture to make their helpless victims more miserable. 
When burning at the stake the}' would keep the fire so low 
as to burn them only by slow degrees causing them to suffer 
for many hours before death would come to their relief. 

No doubt exists now that the Indians were incited to do 
many murders that they would not have done, by the British 
at Detroit and Vincennes. The blood-thirsty Colonel Hamil- 
ton, the British Commander at Vincennes when the post was 
captured by General Clark in 1779 had a standing reward for 
scalps but no reward for prisoners so the Indians killed their 
prisoners and took their scalps in. Also the same demon 
while in command at Detroit ordered the white British sub- 



PIONEER HISTORY OF INDIANA. 169 

jects and the Indians to spare neither men, women or child- 
ren but to kill all and bring their scalps to his post trader 
and they would be paid for at a i)rice agreed upon, depend- 
ing on the age and sex. 

There have been a few instances where individual Ind- 
ians have shown that the milk of human kindness was in 
them but as a rule (leneral Sheridan was ringh when he said 
that — "The only good Indian are dead Indians." 

WOOLSEY PKIDE. 

Tradition has it that the iirst white settler in what is 
now Pike county was Woolsey Pride. In 1800 he built a 
cabin near what was known as White Oak Springs. During 
the next two or three years the Tislow, Miley, and Conrad 
families arrived and settled in the same section, making (|uite 
a settlement. Game of all sorts was in abundance and Ind- 
ians were plenty but friendly. The great victory of General 
Wayne over them in 17'M had made a great change iu their 
actions toward the few white people who lived in the differ- 
ent se'ctions of the Northwest Territory at that time. There 
were not many outbreaks until about 1804 when all the tribes 
in this section came under the influence of the celebrated 
Shawnee Chief, Tecmseh, and his brother, the one-eyed pro- 
phet who was a crafty, smart rascal but a great fraud. 

In 1806 or 1807 Pride built a fort of heavy logs, large 
enough to hold his family and all his neighbors and built a 
heavy stockade around it by sjilitting large logs in the mid- 
dle and hewing the edges until they were thick enough to 
stop a rifle ball, then setting them in a trench three feet 
deep, leaving eight feet above the ground. The gates were 
made in the most substantial manner, the intention being to 
keep them closed at night and all the time when there was 
threatened danger. One night the gate had been left un- 
fastened by some late arrival and during the night a very 
fine horse belonging to Mr. Pride got out and the next morn- 
ing could not be found. He determined to make an effort to 
find it, although he did not know whether it had been stolen 
bp some prowling Indian or had gone away of its own accord. 



170 PIONEER HISTORY OF INDIANA. 

He equipped himself with his halter and trust}' rifle and 
•started to hunt the horse but found it hard to get any trace 
«of him. Late in the afternoon he heard a gun fire a long 
wa)^ off and determined to find who the hunter was. He 
went in the direction the sound came from and after a long- 
walk he saw his horse standing in the edge of a glade. 
When he got near the horse he discovered that an Indian was 
standing b}- it doing something with a strap around the 
Iiorse's neck. Getting his gun in readiness he slipped up on 
,tne Indian whose gun he saw lying b}' the carcass of a deer 
some yards awa}'. He called the horse b}" name. This 
frightened the Indian and bj' his frantic gestures to show 
Pride he was friendl}' the horse became frightened and ran 
jaway, .taking the Indian with him. 

It turned out that the Indian had shot a deer and while 
^trailing it b}' the blood, found the horse grazing, made 
friends with him and caught him and putting a leather strap 
around his neck, led him along until he found the dead deer; 
lie soon dr,essed the deer and had it read)- for loading on the 
horse but the small string around the horse's neck was not 
strong enough so the Indian had cut strips of the deer's hide 
.and fastened them together tying one end around the horse's 
neck and the other around his arm to make sure that he did 
not get away so when the horse became frightened and ran 
awa)' he took Mr. Indian with him. Pride followed the trail 
they made .and soon found them. The Indian had lodged in 
a thick bunch of saplings and vines and the horse was mak- 
ing frantic efforts to pull him through, and had broken his 
arm, nearly pulling it out of its socket. Mr. Pride quieted 
the frigh.temed animal, freed the Indian and did all that he 
^could for him, offering to take him to his home but as he 
would not ^o he left him and never knew what became of 
;him. The large family of Prides in Daviess, Pike and Gibson 
^counties are relatives and most of them descendants of this 
-man. 

Jean LaTure. 
In the fail of 1851 or 1852, I went with my father, in a 



PIONEER HISTORY OF INDIANA. 171 

wagon to Evansville on the Evansville and Petersbur}»- road. 
When we reached a point near where the road j^-oes into ihe 
bottoms of Smith's fork of Piufeon Creek, someihinj^ went 
wrong with the running gears of our wagon and we could 
not go much farther without having it repaired. We lurned 
south on the road that used to go to the McDaniel mill on 
Smith's fork and kept on until we came to the place where 
the road left the bottom and up a little hill to a house. Here 
we found a man who could repair the wagon, but it would 
require three or four hours to do it. While waiting father 
made some inquiries about a point not far from where we 
were and I went with him to it, taking our dinners with us. 
We were, as I now remember, about one hundred A-ards from 
Smith's fork. While we ate our dinner father related to me 
this strange and pathetic story. In the winter of 1833-4 he 
loaded a flat boat with pork, venison, hams and poultry at 
Winslow and ran it out of Patoka river en route to New Or- 
leans. Soon afier he got into the Ohio river, one of his 
principal oarsmen became very ill so much so ihat he had to 
leave him at Paducah, Kentucky in charge of a physician and 
hire another man. This one was an intelligent, middle-aged 
man, dressed in a full suit of buckskin with all the adorn- 
ments that the Indians wore and carrying the most finely 
finished rifle father had ever seen. The new man went to 
work and proved to be a good hand and was better acquainted 
with the river ihan any of the crew. Arriving id the neigh- 
borhood of Memphis it was learned from returning boatmen 
that there wrs a better chance to sell the load by coasting 
along the lower Mississippi than b}' going to New Orleans. 
At Vicksburg, Miss., the crew were paid off, except two who 
were retained. One of these was the man hired at Paducah, 
whose name was Jean LaTure. They landed at different 
points on the river and it took about one month to sell out the 
produce on the boat. During the time they were leisurely 
coasting down the river LaTure found out that father was 
from this section of Indiana and related to him this story. 

He said that his father was with Lafayette for a while 
during the Revolutionary War and afterward settled in Vir- 



172 PIONEER HISTORY OF INDIANA. 

ginia where he married a beautiful French woman. He him- 
self was born in Virg-inia and was about ten years old when 
his father resolved to move to Kentucky. After staying: 
there about three years he decided to come to Indiana Ter- 
ritory and to Vincenpes where he leafned he had relatives. 
"We had two horses," said La Ture "and loaded one with our 
plunder, the other was for my mother and eight-year-old 
sister to ride. We started and traveled for several days, 
coming to green river. We followed it to the point where it 
runs into the Ohio and then could find no way to cross either 
river so went up the Ohio for seven or eig-ht miles and found 
a family of friendly Indians \vho carried us over in a canoe, 
the horses swimming. This was in the fall of 1803. We 
then traveled in a northerly direction for more than a day 
when we came to a large creek (Big Pigeon). Following 
along this creek we crossed one of its forks (no doubt Big 
creek in Greer township, Warrick county) and continued for 
several miles farther and came to another fork (Smith's 
Fork). We did not cross this but went up the south bank 
until we found some high land and selected a place for a 
camp, intending to stay a few days and rest. After being in 
camp about two days, nine or ten Indian hunters came in pre- 
tending to be very friendly. We gave them food which they 
ate but after finishing their meal they jumped up so suddenly 
that we had not time to think; giving a loud yell one caught 
me, another my little sister and a third attempted to hold my 
mother but she got hold of an ax and in the scuffle struck the 
blade into the Indian's thigh, severing the main artery from 
which he bled to death. Another Indian ran up back of my 
mother and killed her with a club. My father was killed at 
the first by two Indians with clubs. About half of them took 
the dead Indians away and were gone for some time. The 
rest loaded our plunder on the horses and we went away to 
the north, leaving my father and mother where they fell, 
after taking their scalps. After wandering that day and a 
part of the next we came to a big Indian town near a river 
which I think now is White river. My little sister was left 
there and I never saw her afterward. I was taken to an In- 



PIONEER HISTORY OF INDIANA. 173 

•dian town near Lake Michifran and lived with the Indians 
for several years. I went with a jKirty on a huntinjif expedi- 
tion and was y^one several days, during which trip I made my 
escai)e and mei a party ot Cieneral Harrison's soldiers after 
the battle of Tippecanoe and went with them to Vincennes. 
I went throuyfh ihe war of 1S12 and since then I have hunied 
Indians and killed every one that I could." 

He asked my father if he thouyfht he could *ro with him 
to the place and was lold that there was no doubt of it as he 
had hunted all over that section. So LaTure came home 
with my father, who sent word to Jonas Mayhall who had 
also hunted all over that country with him, asking him to 
meet him on a certain day at an ayfreed place and go with 
him and LaTure, which Mr. Mayhall did. When they jrot 
near to the point that was thought- to be the place LaTure 
jumped from his horse and ran to the point and cried out 
"Oh I my beautiful mother, how I wish I could have died with 
youl" He lay down on the g-rotmd and cried as nis heart 
would break. The scene was too much for the two men and 
the}' rode away and were gone for some time. Finally my 
father went to LaTure and asked him to get his horse and 
go home. He asked my father to lead the horse home, tell- 
ing him how much he thanked him for his kindness and said 
that he wanted to stay with his father and mother until sun- 
rise next morning. "Then I shall go" he said "and to the 
last day that I live I will kill every Indian that it is in my 
power to do, to avenge the lives of my dear parents." 

During the summer of 1834, father went south and with 
his brother, William R. Cockrum, bought the steamboat 
Otsego and ran her for some time in the lower Mississippi 
trade. They secured a contract from the Government to car- 
ry a large quantity of military stores from New Orleans up 
the Arkansas river to the distributing points for the several 
outposts and forts in that section. During one the trips up 
the river Jean LaTure came to the boat and was gladly wel- 
comed I)y my father who had him stay on the boat as his 
guest until it had to return. In bidding good bye he said 



174 PIONEER HISTORY OF INDIANA. 

that he was successfully hunting Inians and intended to do 
so as long as life lasted. 

Jonas Mayhall, mentioned above, was the father of the 
late George C. Mayhall and the grandfather of the Mayhall 
children who now reside in Oakland City. 

JOEL HARDEN. 

David Johnson was at Vincennes in the summer of 1824 
for the purpose of entering land. While there he met Joel 
Harden and as they roomed together at the hotel, they soon 
got acquainted and being fond of the chase as most all men 
were at that early period, they told each other their many 
adventures. The following was told by Harden, which the 
author believes will prove interesting to his readers. 

Late in the summer of 1792 a large band of Indians went 
into Kentucky from north of the Ohio river. When across 
the river they broke up into small bands so as to over-run a 
large territory in a short time. They were of the Kickapoo 
and Delaware nations. "My father, with my brother and 
myself (my mother was dead) had made a temporary camp 
not far, I think, from where Bowling Green, Kentucky is," 
said Harden. "We had commenced to build a cabin but on 
the night of the third day we had been there Indians rushed 
into our camp. My father attempted to kill one and was 
killed and my brother and I were captured. He was 19 and I 
K) years of age. They scalped my father and took our rifles 
and what little plunder we had and started north. It was 
about three days before we got io the Ohio river which we 
crossed at a point I afterward learned was Yellow Bank — in 
the Kickapoo's language Weesoe VVusapinuk — where Rock- 
port now stands. There was an old Indian trace to the north 
that we traveled a part of two days and came to a large 
spring where the Indians were to meet. Already a number 
were there and in a day or so all of them had arrived. I 
think there were sixty-five or sevent}' warriors and they had 
captured a number ot women and children besides myself and 
brother and a negro slave. There was a disagreement be- 
tween the two tribes of Indians about the division of plunder 



PIONEER HISORY OF INDIANA. 175- 

One of Delawares was determined to have the nej^ro as he 
could sell him to the English officers in Canada at a g-ood 
price. As the negro was being led away one of the Kickapoos 
shot him dead. The Delaware shot m}' brother in retalia- 
tion. This brought on a battle between these two bands of 
Indians that was terrible for a short time. The Kickapoos 
had the advantage from the start, rushing the Delawares 
and capturing all their prisoners — I now think seven or eight 
women and children — and all their plunder, but before it was 
over and the Delawares gone, there were six Kickapoo war- 
riors dead and as many wounded. The Delawares carried 
their dead and wounded away wiih them but they lost a num- 
ber. The Indians remained at the springs for several days 
taking care of their wounded, then they started along the 
little trace, traveling northward and crossed two good sized 
rivers and on to the Indian town at the forks of White river. 
In a short time we continued to the north uniil we got to a 
British Fort in Canada in the neighborhood of Detroit where 
I was sold to an officer for a servant and was held for several 
years. I made my escape by the aid of a Frenchman who 
had taken a fancy to me and hated the British officer for 
some ill treatment. This Frenchman secured a canoe and we 
ran out of an inlet to Lake Erie and paddled along the coast 
until we got to the Maum.ee river, thence up that river to a 
fort established by General Wayne several years before, and I 
remained in this section for some time. While General Har- 
rison was at Ft. Meigs I went there and was at the battle of 
the Thames where Tecumseh was killed. After the close of 
the war of 1812, I enlisted for five years in the regular service. 
For the last five years I have been burning and trai)ping 
along the Wabash and its tributaries and have no relatives 
in the world that I know of." 

The next morning Mr. Johnson invited this lonely, 
weather-beaien soldier to go home with him. which invita- 
tion he accepted and remained with him for more ihan two 
years. In the fall of that same year Mr. Johnson made ar- 
rangements for his annual hunt. Together with Jessie 
Houchin. who lived at ihai time on the Hargrove farm east 



176 PIONEER HISORY OF INDIANA. 

of what is now Oakland City and his guest, Mr. Harden, he 
started for the old polk patch now Selvin, Warrick count)', 
where the}- intended to make their camp and hunt, at the 
same time helping- Harden to locate the place where the In- 
dian battle was fought. The}' stopped on the way for Con- 
rad LeMasters who lived about two miles east of Pleasant- 
ville, Pike county. Mr. LeMisters was ready as he had no- 
tice of their coming. The first day they killed several deer 
and a bear and it was after night when th&ygot to tjieir des- 
tination. They had good success in their hunting and had 
more game than they knew what to do with. Of the deer 
only the hind quarters and the hides were taken, the rest be- 
ing left where it was killed. The second day Mr. LeMasters 
was seriously hurt in a fight with a bear and had to go home. 
The hunting party, the after hearing Harden's story was sat- 
isfied that it was at Honey Springs that the Indian battle had 
taken place so the two of the party who were left, resolved 
as they went home to go into the neighborhood and let Har- 
den find the springs, which they did. While they were 
searching they asked Harden to take a pail and see if he 
could find some water and they would try and find a bee tree. 
Af ler being gone for a short time they saw him coming back 
as fast as his horse would carry him. He was all excitement, 
telling them that he was sure he had found the place they 
were hunting. They went back with him and notwithstand- 
ing there had been some improvements made at and near the 
springs. Harden was very positive that it was the one, show- 
ing the hunters the place where his brother was killed, which 
was about 200 feet southeast of the spring. The Kickapoo 
Indians were killed about 300 feet south of the springs. The 
Delawares retreated to the southwest and their men were 
killed in that direction. 

Staying all night at the springs, the hunters returned 
home the next morning. The two falls following the same 
hunting party was formed and they either went or returned 
by the springs where Harden would wander over the land 
near them for hours at a time. 

In a statement made by John Fuquay, who was scout to 



PIONEER HISOKY OF INDIANA. 177 

General Gibson, Secretary of State for Indiana Territory, in 
1802, as to whether it would he safe to survey the land be- 
tween the Ohio and White rivers he said — "There is an old 
Indian trace running- from the yellow banks to the headwa- 
ters of the Little Pigeon, where there has been a large Indian 
town, then in a northwesterly direction to a larg-e spring, 
then along the spring branch to little Patoka and it crosses 
the large Patoka at a good ford and continues to the forks of 
White river. 



Data of the recapture of three Kentucky women from the 
Indians in what is now Pike county, Indiana, was furnished 
the author in 1855 by William Leathers, son-in-law of John 
Severns. The story is as follows: 

In 1795 John Severns was on White river hunting, when 
he met two Indian trapi^ers one of whom he had known in- 
timately during his captivity among the Indians. They had 
been in the employ, of the Hudson Bay Company, of Canada, 
for several years but had come south to do a little trapping 
on their own account and had a large number of traps with 
them, mostly for beaver, Severns told them of the many 
beaver and beaver dams along the Patoka river and its tri- 
butaries.' 

After talking the matter over the Indians agreed that 
they would hunt bear for awhile and put in the late fall and 
winter trapping for beaver, all of which was carried out. 
From the start the three men had all they could do to keep 
their traps set and care for their peltry. The intention of 
the trappers was to stay a few days in the neighborhood, 
catch all they could and then go on farther. In this way 
they thought they could go over the best trap])ing territory 
during the winter. The weather had become i)retty cool and 
the trav)i)ers had made their camp against a bluff bank of the 
river where a thick vein of coal was cropi)ing out. They 

*Author's Notr. I have beard hunters say that there was no place in 
the western country where there had been more beaver than on the Patoka 
river and that many had l)een caught as late as 1835. To this day the signs 
of their industry are to be seen in many places. 



178 PIONEER HISORY OF INDIANA. 

built their fires ag-ainst the coal and had a g-ood one. This 
camp as the river runs was from 35 to 40 miles from Mr. 
Severns' home. They had been there several days and had 
become pretty well acquainted with the surrounding- country 
when one morning as they lay in their comfortable quarters 
a little before day they were startled by the firing of several 
guns not far away. They would have thought it was In- 
dians shooting at a bear or a gang of wolves prowling around 
their camp had it not been for the loud hallooing and the 
screaming of a child or a woman, that continued for some 
time. The trappers hastily put out the fire and got into a 
position to defend themselves. In a short time daylight came 
and Severns and one of the Indians determined to reconnoitre 
near their camp. On going up the river some distance ihey 
heard talking and were satisfied that it was white people. 
The Indians slipped away and went back to camp while 
Severns went in the direction of the talking and soon saw 
several men and women sitting around a fire. One man, who 
was on the lookout, saw Severns and seeing that he was a 
white man, called to him and when he got to the party he 
saw seven of the hardiest type of Kentucky backwoodsmen 
and three women. One of the men was wounded bv a ball 
through the top of the shoulder. The women's clothing was 
badly torn and their feet almost bare. They looked wear}^ 
and careworn and the stop had been made to make some cov- 
ering for their feet so they could travel, but they were very 
short of suitable material. Severns told them that if the}^ 
would wait until he could go to his camp, less than a mile 
away, he would provide them with all the material they 
needed. The proposition was gladly accepted and he soon 
returned with the saddle of a deer and a dressed buck skin. 
While he was at camp he advised the Indians to keep close as 
he did not know much about the people, only that they had 
recaptured three white women from the Indians and had kill- 
ed several of the latter and that he might go a little way 
with them to find out what he could. The moccasins were 
soon mended and the party started on the long return trip. 
Severns went with them for a few miles and learned that 



. PIONEER HISTORY OF INDIANA. 179 

they lived in central Kentucky and that nearly all of the men 
of their settlement had gone to a salt spring- to make salt. 
While they were absent six Indians attacked two houses and 
captured the three women. A boy not far from one of the 
houses saw the Indians and ran to two men building a cabin 
and gave the alarm and then all the other families ran to the 
fort not far away. A runner was sent after the men at the 
salt spring but it was nearly two days before they could get 
bacK aiid Siart afier the Indians. AfiCi that they iollovved 
them on the run as they knew the Indians would make haste 
to get back over the Ohio river. When the Kentuckians had 
crossed the river the}' had no trouble in following the trail 
because most of the way they were on a trace that crossed at 
the ford where Severns found them. "Last night about eleven 
o'clock," one of the men told Severns "our out runner came 
back to the party just after we had retired for the night and 
told us that he had seen a little glimmer of fire about a half 
mile ahead. Two of our men went back with him and in 
about an hour one of them came back and said they had 
located the Indians and that they were all asleep except one 
who was guarding the prisoners and that as well as they could 
count them as they lay, there were six Indians and the three 
women, and that their camp was at the foot of a bluff. He 
left the other two on a hill about a hundred yards from the 
Indians. There was a small valle}' between them and they 
had a clear view of the camp. The rest of us went to the 
hill and after a whispered council decided to deploy out so as 
to reach the camp from the south and east sides and as soon 
as we could get near enough, to charge the Indians and kill 
them before they could defend themselves. The men who are 
husbands of two of ihe wt)men were to look after them. In 
creeping up we found the little valley covered an inch or two 
deep wiih water from a gushing spring near the Indians* 
camp which greatly delayed our attack and it was nearly five 
o'clock when we rushed on them, killing four before ihey 
could use their guns. The one left on guard shot one oi our 
men in the shoulder and lu- and another t»ne got away, the 
guard with a broken arm." 



180 - PIONEER HISTORY OF INDIANA. 

After hearing his story, Mr. Severns wished them a safe 
journey and returned to camp. That afternoon the three trap- 
pers went to the battle ground and found four dead Indians 
which they placed in a large hole made by the uprooting of a 
tree that had blown down, piling brush, dirt and rocks on 
them. The Indians were greatly alarmed and Mr. Severns 
could not induce them to stay longer, so they went down the 
river to Severns' home and then took their traps and went 
north. 

The only certain location of this battle ground is the. 
Patoka river and Severns' home but the distance and outcrop- 
ping of the coal makes it certain to my mind that it was Mas- 
sey's Bridge where the trappers' camp was and that the Ken- 
tuckians crossed at Marvin's Ford about a mile up the river 
from the bridge and the place where the battle was fought 
and the women rescued was at Martin Springs. The hill the 
men laid on when j^lanning- to charge on the Indians, was I 
believe, where the Martin cemetery i now located. 

The data for the bear light which follows was given me b}' 
Mr. Otho Harrison in 1854. 

During the summer and fall of 1807 there had been great 
excitement in all the settlements so recently made in this 
part of the Indiana Territor}-. The people had to leave their 
homes several times and were huddled together in forts. 
There were man}' roving bands of Indians prowling around. 
A famil}' by the name of Larkins had been captured and Mr. 
Larkins was killed near what is now the east line of Pike 
county, as they were camped for the night near the old Indian 
trace. Several emigrants had been stopped and turned back 
by our rangers until a sufficient escort could be sent with 
them to their destination 

Bands of young Indians would start on a hunting expedi- 
tion but as soon as the}- were away from the influence of the 
older ones, would shape their course so as to be on the usual 
lines followed by the early settlers coming to this section and 
at night, while they were in camp, would fall on these help- 
less people, generally killing the men and taking the women 
and children prisoners. They would then gather up what 



PIONEER HISTORY OF INDIANA. 181 

articles of value the settlers miyfht have had and j^o to the 
northern Indians near the j^reat lakes who were under the in- 
fluence of the British commander of that section. Here they 
sold their prisoners for servants and received a reward for 
their scalps. 

There is no doubt but that all the older Indians as well 
as Tecumseh, looked with apprehension on all these maraud- 
injf campaig-ns of their younj^- men. Tecumseh, his brother 
and a small band of Shawnee Indians lived for several years 
before 1806 in a Delaware town on W hite river. In the sum- 
mer of that year they moved to Greenville, in the state of 
Ohio. Interpreter La Verne met Tecumseh one day after he 
left that section and asked him why he didn't remain near the 
Wabash as most of his people were in that section. He told 
La Verne that the White river Indians were very hot-headed, 
that they wanted to kill and murder and that they were <jreat 
thieves and that some time soon they would brin^j j^^reat trou- 
ble on all the Indian race. He also said that Indians who 
hunt for scalps would not make good fighters, that they would 
shoot a little and run awa}'. 

Woolse}' Pride's fort near Petersburg had been the home 
of many of the new comers to that section for some time and 
the provision had run low. There were vast numbers of bear, 
deer and turkeys in the woods and if it were safe to hunt 
them, a day or so would have replenished their larders, so it 
was decided that three men would go out and kill some game. 
Paul Tislow, Henry Miley and Woolsey Pride got everything 
in readiness and early the next morning- started, Tislow and 
Miley taking a bear trap with them as they knew of a place 
on Pride's creek where there was always plent}' of bear signs. 
They intended to set the trap and go back the next morning. 
They were fairly successful, having killed three deer and a 
half dozen turkeys. Hanging up two deer in the woods, they 
took one deer and the turkeys home with them, after having- 
set their bear trap and baited it. 

Early the next morning the three men went out again. 
Pride took his horse to bring the deer back on, while Tislow 
and Miley went to the bear trap. When near it they saw a 



182 PIONEER HISTORY OF INDIANA. 

larg-e bear run away and a small one was in the trap fast by 
its hind foot. They concluded, as it was only a cub weig^hingf 
not more than one hundred pounds, they would take it with 
them to the fort alive to show to the women and children. 
They were making- preparations to tie it when it made a great 
out-cry and the old mother bear came rushing out after their 
dog and at them full drive. They had no time to get their 
guns or in any way defend themselves before she was on 
them, knocking Tislow down and attempting to tear him to 
pieces. Miley struck at the bear's head with his tomahawk, 
but hit a glancing blow, not severely disabling it but some- 
what addling it so that it turned partly around and off of 
Tislow, who did not need any invitation but in a momeutwas 
up, and running to a tree, climbed it to a safe distance. This 
left Miley and the dog with the infuriated bear that kept 
turning around to get hold of him. He followed its motions 
by holding to its shaggy coat. He made several passes at it 
with his hatchet but hadn'i hurt the animal much. The dog 
was doing all that it could to help him but if it hadn't been 
for the hold he had on the long hair on the hind quarters of 
the bear it would have torn him to pieces, but having hold of 
it he could govern himself by the bear's motions. When he 
had time to do anything he would halloo to Tislow to come 
down and help him but Tislow had been there before and was 
badly bitten, his clothing torn into shreds and he didn't want 
any more of it. When Miley was almost worn out two large 
dogs that had followed Pride came rushing into the conflict, 
thus releasing him from his perilous position. As soon as 
Miley loosed his hold he ran to a tree and climbed it, leaving- 
the dogs and bear to fight it out. The great noise made b)' 
the men and dogs was heard by Pride and he was seen com- 
ing at full speed on his horse, but when he got near the bat- 
tle there was such a mix-up of dog-s and bear that he could 
not shoot without danger of killing a dog. Finally he got a 
chance and shot the bear through the middle of the shoulder, 
disabling both its fore legs, then jumping from his horse he 
finished it with his tomahawk. 

Settling a new country, remote from settled neighbor- 



PIONEER HISTORY OF INDIANA. 183 

"hoods, as southern Indiana was, is always attended with «jreat 
hardships and privations which none but the brave will en- 
dure. The main object in coming to this wild reK"ion was to 
•secure free land for homes. A larjje majority of the pioneers 
settled on land boujfht with land warrants for military ser- 
vice in the Revolutionary or Indian wars. The spirit of ad- 
venture which is so fascinating caused a few to come but as a 
whole the people who were the pioneers of this state were 
from the best families of the countries from which they 
moved; intelligent, brave, heart}', and honest, willing to en- 
dure the many trials and privations they were compelled to, to 
sustain themselves, and to face the great dangers, incident to 
•driving out the red barbarian from this favored land, where 
they had cast their lots and intended to make their homes. 
They went to work to improve their surroundings, always on 
the look-out for dangers and the everlasting calm only broken 
b}' the croaking of the crows by day and the lonesome hoot of 
the owl by night. 

The venturesome hunter sought for signs that he could 
read to determine his chances for a successful hunt and for 
his own safety. He could read the sky, morning and evening 
which gave him the information of what the weather would 
be for twent3'-four hours. Nearly all men who exposed them- 
selves, then as now, had some kind of a pain or ache that told 
them of damp weather. They were ever on the lookout for 
signs and listening for sounds that told them whether thej' 
were to have good or bad luck in their undertaking. The 
lonesome howling of a dog was a sure sign that trouble would 
would come to a family and a dog that was given to such 
howling did not live very long. These old hunters were 
learned in wood lore; if they were lost they had only to find 
the moss which was always thickest on the north side of the 
tree to tell them the way out and if they were uncertain as to 
the direction the wind came from, they stuck a finger into 
the mouth until it was warm, then held it up and the 
wind was blowing from would feel cool. The wood craft 
education was necessary for these pioneers. Their business 
was to hunt game to feed themselves and families; all kind of 



184 PIONEER HISTORY OP INDIANA. 

animals were in abundance and it was not hard to kill the 
deer and turkey, the principal game that they used for food. 
For seasoning Johnny cake or ash cakes and other food the 
fat of the bear was the best and was almost indispensable. It 
was often attended with great danger to kill them. The 
bear was always ready for a fair fight, rearing up on his hind 
feet ready either to box his antagonist to a finish or to hug 
the life out of him; and it is yet to be recorded where any 
man went into battle with a bear without the use of a gun 
and came out without being severely hurt. 

Wolves were plentiful but they were never regarded as 
dangerous to man. They were the slyest, most sneaking an- 
imal of all and did make havoc among the young hogs and 
sheep when they could get a chance. People who raised 
sheep had to put them every night into secure pens. 

The early settlers, as a rule married when they were 
3'oung; there was no inequality in the way for all were on the 
same level. If the young man was a good hunter and a good 
soldier if need be, that was all the requirements needed. The 
3'oung girl had no bad habits and was industrious and healthy. 
She had learned from her mother the simple forms of 
housekeeping. Probably they did not have a cent of money 
between them. In many cases it was hard for the father of 
the sons, who were first married in the wilds of this countr)^ 
to get the needed means for the legal part of the ceremony. 

When it first became known that there was to be a wed- 
ding, ever3'body old and young, were in great glee in antici- 
pation of the coming feast and the continued frolic which 
would follow and which generall}" lasted until two days after 
the infare, the wedding reception at the groom's father, and 
until their house was built and properly warmed by an all 
night's dancing. Then it was turned over to the young peo- 
ple wno assumed their position in society as one more family 
added to the sparsel)' settled region. Ever3bod)Mn the whole 
neighborhood knew that he would be invited in fact the cus- 
tom on such an occasion was that no invitation was needed 
and the latch string was out to all comers and especialh^ to 
the neighbors. The custom of the celebration at the home 



PIONEER HISTORY OF INDIANA. 185 

of the bride has been in vogfue as lonj^ as the United States 
has been settled by the" white people. 

It is not to be wondered at that everN'bod}' was on the 
qui vive when a weddinj^- was on l^and, for there was no oiher 
% jifatherinjf where all could g-o. On the da}- of the weddinyf 
the candidate and his best fellows, probabh' as man}- as ten, 
who had been his friends in the chase and on the scout, 
^fathered at his father's home. The first thinjj to do was to 
select two of the best mounted who were to run for the bottle 
which took place when the}- arrived within one-half mile of 
the bride-elect. They timed their march so as to arrive about 
noon, the weddiny: usually taking- place just before the noon 
meal. When they got to the point near the home, the word 
was given and the two young men started at bread-neck speed 
tr3ing' their best to win. A bottle of corn whiskey was given 
to the 3'oung man who first passed a given point. He then 
turned his horse and, riding at the top of his speed, carried the 
bottle to the approaching- party and treated them all to its con- 
tents. I well rdmember a tree shown to me some years ago 
on the Jackson Martin farm near Littles in Pike county, 
where a Mr. Martin was killed while running for the ootile: 
the horse became scared at something and ran against the 
tree fracturing the young man's skull. 

After the return of the racing- party the compan}- con- 
tinued to the house where they found all the people of the 
neighborhood assembled. Nearly every section had some one 
with ministerial license who would solemnize the wedding; 
there was no legal light nearer than the county seat, which 
was often Hfty miles away. 

After the ceremony was over the feast began, which was 
a feast indeed of the best things lO be obtained in ihecoimtry; 
all sorts of meats and bread made from meal, i)oiJinded in a 
mortar and baked on a hoe or Johnny-cake board. Wild 
honey was there in abundance as a bee tree could be found 
on any forty acres, often as many as a dozen of them. Pos- 
sibly the dinner was served on a table or platform, covered 
with three foot boards seventy-tive or one hundred feet long, 
and over this was laid a piece of linen cloth that had been 



186 PIONEER HISTORY OF INDIANA. 

lying- in the- garden for weeks to bleach. This cloth -was 
made entirel)' by the bride. All the dishes in the neighborhood 
"had been borrowed as the supply was very scant, only a few 
pewter plates, a few pewter spoons, but horn and wooden ones 
iilled the need and the party were jovial and happy; everyone 
•enjoying themselves. 

After the dinner was over the old folks started for their 
homes, the younger people making preparations for a dance 
that was to last until broad daylight. They did not under- 
stand the fancy dancing of this day but the figures were four 
handed reels and what they called square sets. Some of the 
people from Virginia understood dancing a reel that was cal- 
led in old Virginia — "hoedown." The musician was usually 
a middle aged man who was an expert with the violin before 
leaving the older settled sections. 

The infare was the same as the wedding; two young- men 
raced for the bottle and the gathering was the same people as 
on the day before. The feast of good things was enjoyed by all. 
After the dinner was over and the old folks had gone to their 
homes the young folks started the dance in which everyone 
took part. Their dress was all of home manufacture, bride's 
and all, they were of the most comfortable sort. 

The honeymoon of the 3'oung people was not extensive 
in travel. The)^ did not have the worry of packing large 
traveling trunks nor were there any old shoes thrown after 
them for their were none to throw. 

The first thing to do after the infare was to build a house 
to live in, but before they could have charge of their new 
home there must be the regulation house warming-. In a for- 
mer chapter the author has described a cabin built by the 
first pioneers and following is given a description of one of a 
little later day. 

After a favorable site had been selected all the neighbors 
helped in cutting and hauling the logs. The first thing to 
•do was to cut three large logs the length the building was 
wanted and scutch one side and lay them so they were level, 
•on a range with each other. On this the first two end logs 
were placed, then the puncheons laid, meeting on the middle 



PIONEER HISTORY OP^ INDIANA. 187 

lo": for the foundation. The puncheons were first faced with 
an ax to cause them to lie level. Then the foot adz came in- 
to play, making the floor level and smooth. The side and 
«nd log's were laid on and notched down so as to make the 
cracks as small as they could and the walls strong. Usually 
the corner men scored the logs, each way half the length, un- 
til they met the other corner men. The scores were scutched 
•off, making the walls look much better than round logs with 
bark on. At the square of the house usually about eight feet 
above the floor, two end logs projected about fifteen inches 
beyond the wall and usually other logs were laid across the 
building projecting the same as the end log and the proper 
distance apart to receive four foot boards for the loft. The 
butting logs, as they were called, were laid up notched to fit 
and pinned to the cross logs. Against the butting logs the 
first course of boards for the roof rested. The slope for the 
roof was made by cutting the end logs above the square two 
and one-half feet shorter. The next side log was laid some 
two feet from the wall, projecting over at each end two feet. 
This was called a ridge pole or log for the boards to lie on. 
The same was continued until the top log was in place where 
the boards of both sides of the roof met, forming the comb. 
Small logs were split open the length of the ridge pole for 
the purpose of weighting the roof so the boards would be 
level and stay in place. The weight poles were tied at each 
end with hickory withs to the end of the ridge poles. The 
door was made by cutting out the logs on one side the width 
wanted and pinning heavy pieces of upright timbers lo the 
end of the logs by boring a hole through the timber and into 
the end of the logs, which made it very solid. A similar 
-opening was made at the end, only wider, for a chimney. A 
three sided crib of logs joined to the end logs of the house 
was made high enough above where the back wall came to 
form the foundation for the chimney. Timber was driven 
■down to form a place so that clay could be pounded in to make 
the hearth and raise the fire place even with the floor. After 
this mud mixed with grass was made and large cats or lumps 
-were pounded in between the boards placed to shape the fire 



188 PIONEER HISTORY OF INDIANA. 

place and the loi^-s, until it was as high as needed and them 
the chinine}' was started b}' drawinji: it in like a partridge 
trap until it was of the proper size to draw well, then built 
with sticks and clay until above the roof. The cracks be- 
tween the logs of the house were filled with chinking of lim- 
ber and plastered with mud. The door shutter was made by 
riving thick boards the lengcHr wanted, then putting heavy 
pieces across called battens then pinning them fast. Heavy 
wooden hinges were put on by pinning two pieces across the 
door and auger holes bored through them where they extend- 
ed over the door's edge, then two butts for the hinges were 
pinned on the logs inside to a piece called facing with round 
tenon made on them. The door was then hung by fitting the 
auger holes over the round tenons. A heav/ latch was made 
that when fastened on the inside could not be opened, with- 
out the proverbial latch string of buck skin through a hole 
in the door and hanging on the outside was used in lifting 
the latch. When completed the door could not be opened 
without great power being used. On each side and on the 
ends of the room a peep hole was left ,so that what went on 
on the outside could be seen and if need be could be used for a 
port hole to shoot from. A heavy piece of timber fitted into 
these peep holes, windows they could not have as long as 
there was any danger from Indians. 

The gun rack over the door was usually made b}^ fasten- 
ing the prongs of deer horns in an auger hole. A good lamp 
was made by forming a cup out of clay and burning it hard. 
When this was filled with bear's oil, and fitted with a cotton 
wick, it made a ver}- good light. 

Hunting for game through the long days was the most 
laborious work thai could be done. Often when the snow 
was melting and the creeks and branches overflowing, the 
hunter waded through the wet all day, at night returning to 
his humble home all worn out, many times,, however, with 
three to six turkeys tied to his back and again with two to- 
four pairs of venison hams and the hides of the deer. While 
all were fond of the chase and of necessity had. to follow it,. 



PIONEER HISTORY OF INDIANA. 189 

3'et no labor ever performed by man was more tryin<^ on the 
constitution. 

When the sprinjif season came on the deer were poor and 
they were let alone until the crop was put in. Before plant- 
ing- the crop more acres of ground had to be cleared and the 
brush and logs burned, the rails made and the fence put 
around it. This required great labor. Besides his own work 
the farmer had to assist his few neighbors in rolling their 
log's so that they would help him in return. Often new com- 
ers had to have houses raised. With all his hibor he put in 
his crop in good season and the virgin soil, with little stir- 
ring", produced bountifully supplies of corn and vegetables 
for his stock and table. If the family had boys they aided 
their father in the crops from the time the}' were eight years 
old. If the mother's side of the house had the most helj) then 
the strong healthy girls helped their father in putting in his 
corn and in tending it. Industry was a virtue that was al- 
ways in force for there were no idlers. When the older peo- 
'ple thought their children were a little slack in their work, 
they would remind them that they were in danger of being 
caught by the Laurences, meaning the little heat waves caus- 
ed by the heat from the earth on a very hot day. Such days 
would add much to the child's disposition to rest. 

Anyone who was given to id^/^ess was called a hi/cy hound 
and was looked upon with contempt. In fact it was such an 
odium to be called an indolent, la;;y body that the ones so in- 
clined were soon frozen out or talked out and moved away. 
I well remember an old story that I have heard the old people 
repeat whed I was a small boy. They always told it as hap- 
pening in old North or South Carolina or in Tennessee. In 
the section they would name there lived a strong healthy 
young man who wouldn't work under any circumstances and 
his family was not cared for as it should have been. A neigh- 
bor filed a complaint and the law took charge of him and as 
he was being taken to the county seat to be bound out or his 
labor for a certain i)erio(l sold to the highest bidder and the 
proceeds to be used to maintain his family, they ])assed by 
the house of a well-to-do farmer who asked the driver what 



i<)() PIONEER HISTORY OF INDIANA. 

he was gfoing to do with that man and upon being- informed 
said it was a shame for such a big, good-looking- fellow like 
that to be sold and asked— "What does his family need? I 
am willing to help them." The driver said that if the_v had 
two bushels of corn it would last them until roasting ears 
came and then the^^ could live through the summer. "If that 
is all that is needed I will give him two bushels of corn. You 
drive down to the corn pen and get it." Whereupon the lazy 
man rolled over in the wagon and asked — "Sa)' Mister, is the 
corn shelled?" "Wh}^ no, but vou can shell it," was the 
answer. He rolled back into his easy position and said — 
"Drive on driver, to the county seat." Then turning to the 
farmer — "I can't shell corn." 

This story was often told as I now recall the circum- 
stances I remember it was always in the presence of some one 
who was a little slack in the twist about work. Many times 
since I have become older I have wondered if it were not told 
to fix more firmly the habits of industry in my mind as well 
as in others. 

Our mother worked from early morning until late at night 
preparing the needed clothing for the family and doing her 
household work. The daughters stood nobly by their mother, 
helping her in every way they could. As the mother grew 
older they relieved her of the care and weariness of the 
household duties and went forward in all the needed prepara- 
tion for the home. The boy, were ever in the fields with their 
father at work, and when the corn was cribbed they followed 
him in the chase, killing bear, deer and turkeys for the needs 
of the family. When winter had come they would go three 
or four miles away to some neighbor's house where subscrip- 
tion school was being taught for a month or so, thus gather- 
ing the first principles of an education. 

When these healthy boys and girls came home from 
school and the daily duties were gone through with, the girls 
preparing the evening meal, milking the cows and caring for 
all the household work, the boys attending to their stock and 
cutting wood for the fire, preparing large back logs to be 
placed against the back wall of the chimney. After supper 



PIONEER HISTORY OF INDIANA. 191 

was over and the dishes cleared away one of the }i:irls would 
brin{^ her cards and wool to make the rolls for another who 
had the large spinning- wheel making- the rolls into thread. 
The old people and the rest of the family sai around the fire 
talking of the events of the day. They had no books Dut the 
bible and possibly an old English reader — newspapers they 
had never seen. After awhile one marries and leaves ihe old 
home and then another, until they all have homes of their 
own clustering around the old homestead which usually fell 
to the youngest. 

This is the way this country has been peopled. True, 
many have moved to other parts of the country, but ip every 
part of Indiana, second and third generations fro n the old 
pioneers yet occupy and control the country outside the 
towns. 

The dress of these people was suitable for the life they 
had to lead. The hunting shirt was worn by all the men and 
was made of various sorts of material. It was a loose frock 
coat coming down below the middle of the thighs. The 
sleeves were very large. The front part of the garment 
was made very full, so much so ihat it would lap over more 
than a foot on each side, when it was belied. The cape was 
very large and full, much like the comfortable long capes 
worn by our cavalry soldiers during the war of the Rebellion. 
They were ornamented with a heavy fringe around the bot- 
tom and down tne shoulder seams and a row on the cape about 
half way from the bottom to the collar. The bosom of these 
hunting shirts when the belt was fastened was always used 
by the hunter to carry the things needed for his convenience 
and comfort. On one side the tomahawk and on the other 
the hunting knife were each fastened to a loop made in the 
belt. These two weapons were indispensable and every hunter 
carried them. The hunting shirt was mostly made out of 
linsey cloth, some were made out of linen, the cloth made 
thick by filling made from tow which was gathered from the 
last hackling of the flax. There were many made out of 
dressed deer skins for summer and fall wear but they were 
verv cold in the winter liuK'. Tlie skin coats were fantastic- 



192 PIONEER HISTORY OF INDIANA. 

ally ornamented in the fashion of the Indians. The hunting 
shirts was of any color to suit the fancy of the owner. Some 
of them were very gay but those intended for the chase or 
scout were usually a dull color so as not to be easily distin- 
guished. The undershirts, or vests as we now call them, 
were made of any material ihey could get. The breeches 
were made close fitting and over them a pair of buckskin leg- 
gins were worn fringed down the outside seams like the In- 
dians. A pair of moccasions for their foot covering and pro- 
tection were much better for the purpose of hunting and 
scouting than shoes, which they could not get, as no noise 
was qiade in walking. They were made of buckskin in one 
piece, with a gathered seam along the top of the foot and 
from the bottom of the heel to the ankle joint. Flaps were 
left on each side so as to reach some distance up the leg to 
be covered over w^th the lower part of the leggins, and all 
held in place by strong thongs of buckskin tied around 
just above the ankle joint, to keep the snow and dirt out of 
the moccasins. 

It reiiuired only a little time to make a pair of moccasins. 
For this purpose and for mending the holes worn in them an 
awl made out of any kind of iron was an indispensable tool, 
and with a ball of thongs or strings cut from a dresse4 deer 
skin, was in the shot pouch or hunting shirt pocket of ever}-^ 
hunter. In the winter the moccasins were very cold and dr_y 
deer hair was stuffed into them to keep the feet warm. If 
the w^earer owned any red pepper pods a liberal suppl_v of it 
was i>ut in with the hair. I have heard my father sa}' that 
in cold wet weather the moccasin wasonl}' a little better than 
going barefooted. 

The head dress of the men was as varied as there were 
kinds of animals. Bear, beaver, fox, raccoon and even the 
jjullen opposum furnished material for headwear. In the 
summer" time they had hats made from the wild oat straw 
and from the flag that grew in ponds. Even the inside bark 
of the mulberry roots was cleaned and worked into very light 
durable hats for summer wear. Gloves were made out of the 
i^kins of small animals with the fur on the inside. 



PIONEER HISTORY OF INDIANA. 193 

The women did not have as elaborate costumes as the 
men. but they dressed at all times to suit their work and the 
weather if they had the material to make their clothing- 
from. The linsey skirt or petticoat as it was termed then, 
worn over some sort of dress of linen or cotton, made much 
like ladies wear now for nijfht gowns, was the usual costume. 
If worn in cold weather a waist or jacket was added to the 
skirt. Their clothing was warm and comfortable. In warm 
weather they invariably went barefooted, but during the cold 
weather they had moccasins or shoe pacs, a sort of half moc- 
casin. They made shawls of flannel the same as they made 
blankets of any color that suited their fancy with bright col- 
ored stripes at each end and a heavy fringe sewed on all 
around it. Later when the)' got to raising cotton in sufficient 
quantities, the}- made a very pretty and serviceable cotton 
dress with stripes of many colors. For head dress the}' al- 
waj's wore caps night and day with a frill on the front edge 
often out of the same goods, very old ladies often wore dark 
colored caps made of some fine goods brought from their early 
childhood home. The}' wore the regulation sun bonnet of 
that period which differed but little from that worn by many 
at this time. The head piece or crown was made with cas- 
ings for splits of wood to keep it in shape with a gathered 
curtain sewed around the lower edge. These hooded bonnets 
were good shades from the sun and when taken in connection 
with the other dress of that day were very becoming to the 
wearer. For handkerchiefs they had small home-made 
squares of white cotton cloth of their own spinning and weav- 
ing. For gloves leather made out of squirrel hides dressed, 
was used and they were as soft as the best kid and lasted for 
all time. 

Often it was very difficult to secure the raw material to 
make this clothing. The flax crop at times failed as the land 
was too loose for it to do well in. The flax roots are very short 
and the new soil of that date was a very loose loam and in dry 
weather the flax would die out and the crop fail. At such 
time, when the flax failed, some one would go to the rich creek 
bottoms where nettles grew in abundance and secure loads 



194 PIONEER HISTORY OF INDIANA. 

of the stalks. After it was dried and rotted they broke and 
workedfc^it the same as the)' did the flax. A strong thread could 
be spun'frora the fiber covering- the stems and this thread was 
woven into cloth and made into clothing-. When the}' had wool 
and linen thread the}' wove linsey cloth, the best that could be 
had for Jcomfort and durability. Every woman was her own 
weaver. The girls who were fourteen years old could spin 
and weave and make their own clothing. Their clothing- 
was such as they could make by hand. These early pioneers 
tanned their own leather. A large trough for a tanning vat 
back of the smoke house or in it as was often the case, was 
an indispensable piece of property. The bark of the black 
oak, carefully secured in the spring when the sap was up, 
was dried to be used later for tanning their leather. The 
skins of deer, wolves and later on of bears and cows that had 
died or had been killed by the panthers were saved and dried 
until such times as they were wanted to be put into the vat. 
They were first put in a trough with strong ashes and kept 
there until the hair became loose and could be scraped off. 
Then they were put into the vat and the oak bark was 
pounded up as finely as needed and put in layer after layer as 
the skins were placed in the trough. When the oak liquor 
or ooze had been used until it commenced to lose its strength 
it was drawn off and a new supply of bark put into the vat. 
After being in the vat for several months the hides were 
taken out. A board or slab was driven into the ground and 
the top end was shaved to an edge. Then the hides were 
scraped back and forth over the edge of the slab until the}^ 
became pliable; then bear's oil was put on and worked in. 
until every part of the skin was soft. Our people learned 
from the Indians that the brains of the deer was the best of 
all material to make the tanned leather soft and pliable and 
to keep it so. It took nearly three large dressed buckskins 
to make a leather suit, including a hunting shirt, leggings 
and two pairs of moccasins. 

After they had raised the corn the meal made out of it 
for their bread was prepared by pounding the corn in hominy 
blocks and by grinding the corn in hand mills. Hominy 



PIONEER HISORY OF INDIANA. 195 

blocks were made in the end of a larg-e log- standing- on end 
and about three feet high. The hopi>er for holding the corn 
was made b3' burning a hole in the end of the log. Then a 
hickor}' pestle was used to pound the corn. This labor was 
often made lighter and more effective b}- placing a pole on a 
fork driven into the ground the proper distance from the meal 
block. One end of the pole was held down by a heav}' log 
and to the other end was attached a heavy pestle by a strong- 
leather cord. A hole was bored through the pestle the pro- 
per distance from the lower end and a hickery pin put into it 
extending- two feet on each side. Then two people could 
work ai the pounding process. The spring of the pole lifted 
the pestle as high as wanted and the stroke was made by 
pulling- down on the pin. In this way meal could be made 
much faster than by the single hand process. After beating- 
the corn awhile it was put in a skin sieve made b}' stretching- 
a raw deer skin over a hickory hoop and when it had dried, 
burning small holes through it with the tines of an iron fork, 
thus making a very good sieve. The meal was shaken through 
this and the coarse parts put back in the hopper to be pound- 
ed until it was fine enough to go through the sieve. When 
the corn was just beginning to harden in the fall a much 
more simple device was made for making meal, called a 
"grater." A piece of tin or sheet iron with many holes 
punched through it was put on a board and nailed by its 
edges to the board, forming a half circle. The corn was rub- 
bed over the rough side of this grater, the meal going through 
the perforaiions and falling inio a pan. There are many old 
people yet living who have had ihe backache from bending 
over one of these crude meal-making machines and the wriier 
is one of them. A liiile laier a small mill was made, which 
was called a hand mill, that was much superior to the two 
meal-making i>rucesses above described. The hand mill was 
made of two small round stones. The under one was station- 
ary and the ui)per one was turned around. These stones 
placed in a hooj) made for the purpose. At one edge a little, 
spout was made for the meal to run out and a hole was made 
in the outside edge of the top stone and a staff fitted into it. 



196 PIONEER HISTORY OF INDIANA. 

The upper end of the staff went into a hole made through a 
board that was fastened to some timbers over head. The 
hoop, the stones were in, was about the size of a dish pan. A 
little hopper was made around the center staif or post that 
the top stone ran around with holes made in it to let the corn 
through as fast as wanted. Two persons could hold the up- 
right staff one on either side of the hoop, and keep the top 
stone turning around at a livel}' rate. There could be four 
bushels of corn ground on this small mill in a da}-. This was 
considered at that time to be quite an advance in the mill- 
ing industry. 



CHAPTER IX. 



Land Claims and Territorial Affairs — Indian Depreda- 
tions-Letters OF Instruction and Orders to Cap- 
tain William Hargrove — Burning of an Indian Town 
Near Owensville — Division of Indiana Territory — 
Elections — Land Offices. 



The uncertaint}' of the title of the lands held by the in- 
habitants of the territory, caused so much trouble that Con- 
gress in 1804 created a board of Commissioners who were 
empowered to inquire into the validity of the titles and decide 
on the title of each claim to which title there was any ques- 
tion. This decision was to be reported to Conj^ress and in 
this way most of the uncertain titles were confirmed. 

Many of the laws that had been adopted for the govern- 
ment of the Northwest Territory by Governor St. Clair and 
the judges, and a part of the statutes adopted and published 
b}' Governor Harrison were revised and re-enacted by the 
General Assembly of the Territory of Indiana and were pub- 
lished by Stout and Smoot at Vincennes, b}' authority of the 
Legislature. Thej- were bound in a thin volume that con- 
tained the laws of the Northwest Territory and those of Ind- 
iana Territory which had not been repealed, as they were 
revised by the Honorable John Rice Jones and John Johnson. 
The latter laws passed by the Legislature referred to many 
things among which were the incorporation of the Vincennes 
Univeristy, Vincennes Library, the Borough of Vincennes 
and the town of Jeffersonville. 

By an act of Congress approved the 11th of January, 1805^ 
before the organization of the legislative council, Indiana 



198 PIONEER HISTORY OF INDIANA. 

Territor)' was divided and the Territory of Michig-an was 
established to take effect the last day of June, 1806. Mich- 
ig-an Territory was formed of that part of Indiana Territory 
which lies north of a line drawn east from a point on Lake 
Michig-an ten miles north of its southern extremity until said 
line intersects Lake Erie, thence north through Lake Erie to 
the northern boundary of the United States. This division 
included the land office at Detroit. 

The Legislature of 1807 passed some very drastic measures, 
among them being penalties for the crime of treason, murder, 
arson, and horse-stealing. All of them were punishable b}' 
death. The crime of man-slaughter was not such an import- 
ant affair and was punishable under the code of common laws. 
The crime of burglary and robbery were punishable by whip- 
ping. Rioting was punishable b)' fine and .imprisonment. 
Hog stealing was punishable by whipping. 

After Wayne's victory up to 1802 and 1803 there was 
quiet in all the section of country in Indiana Territor}-. The 
object lesson the Indians received there was so forcibly im- 
pressed on them that they were glad to be quiet for a while. 
This quiet gave an impetus to emigration to the new country, 
but in a short time the temptation was so great that small 
bands of Indians would roam over the country hunting for a 
chance to retaUate and murder the defenseless people. There 
were a number of boat fights on the Ohio and in some of them 
the unfortunate occupants were captured and murdered. 

A family named McClure was floating down the Ohio, 
about ten miles west of the mouth of Lochry Creek in what is 
now Ohio county, Indiana. They were prevailed upon to 
land their boats by the cries and gestures of a white woman 
who besought them to take her on board, saying that she had 
escaped from the Indians. As soon as the boat touched shore 
it was captured by a band of Indians who were in conceal- 
ment in a large crevice in the bank. All of the family except 
one grown daughter were killed. She was carried into cap- 
tivity and sold to the British at Maiden and was recaptured 
at the battle of the Thames. It was never known whether 
the white woman who decoyed the boat was a prisoner or was. 



PIONEER HISTORY OF INDIANA. V)9 

like Simon (iirty, a traitor to the white race, who became 
more tiendish and brutal toward the Americans than the most 
savage Indians. 

At Diamond Island, Posey county, Indiana, in the sum- 
mer of 1S(I3 a boat containinj^ six jieople from N'irj^inia was ca])- 
tured, but before the capture was accomplished three Indians 
were dead and another had one of his ears and more than 
half his nose cut oif. The boat had landed to take on a deer 
killed by young James Barnard who was a son of the owner 
of the boat. As the two men, father and son, were carrying 
the deer they saw eight or ten Indians rushing to the boat. 
The mother, with an ax, killed one of the Indians. The 
three small children in the party were unable to make any 
defense. The father had his gun with him but the son had 
only a corn knife, made of a brier-scythe, which he had car- 
ried out to cut a pole on which to hang the deer. The 
father, actuated by the first impulse, rushed to the boat, shot 
two Indians down at one shot and was himself immediatel)'^ 
killed. The son. having no gun, attempted to get away b}' 
running. Two Indians followed him and as he dodged from 
tree to tree they both fired, but missed. One of the Indians 
was fleet of foot and followed on after the young man who 
was very fast in a foot race but he soon found that the In- 
dians would overtake him. Coming to a very large tree he 
dodged behind it and as the Indian came up, dealt him such 
a blow with the corn knife that it cut oflF a large part of his 
nose. At the second blow he cut off his left ear which fell 
at his feet. The Indian uttered a loud yell and ran back the 
wa}- he had come. Young Barnard picked up the ear and 
went into the forest where he hid and waited for night to 
come, when he wandered back to the river, hoping to find 
some trace of the fami,ly. He found the dead bodies of his 
mother and father, both scalped, but could see no trace of his 
brother and sisters. The young man, with his corn knife, in 
the stillness of the night, and in the wilderness of Pose}' 
county, dug out a shallow grave in which he placed the bodies 
of his parents and then he wandered through the woods. 
Coming to the Wabash, he swam it and found his way to 



200 PIONEER HISTORY OF INDIANA. 

Vincennes where he enlisted in the arm 7. The next year 
after this, an expedition was made bj^ soldiers into the Illi- 
nois country after some horse-thief Indians who had stolen a 
number of horses which were grazing on the common pasture 
near Post Vincennes, and 5'oung- Barnard was one of the com- 
pany. Late in the evening- of the second day out, more than 
thirty miles to the southwest of Vincennes, they came to a 
lone wigwam near a large spring of water. On coming up 
to it they found an Indian who was dressed in skins and had 
covering over his face except places made in the covering 
that he could see out of. This strangely dressed creature 
did not offer any opposition to the soldiers. One of the sol- 
diers understood the Kickapoo language and told the Indian 
that they did not intend to do him any harm but that he must 
take that covering off of his head. At this he became frantic 
and said he would die first. They caught him and held him 
and removed the buckskin from over his head when they be- 
held an awfully mutilated face that looked as though it had 
been in that condition some time. His nose was nearly all 
gone, one of his eyes was out and one ear cut off. Barnard 
looked at the Indian and told the interpreter what he had 
done at Diamond Island and that he had the ear in his tent 
at camp. This was told the Indian, whereupon he became a 
raging fury and tried to break loose to get at Barnard. When 
he found that he could not throw off the two stalwart soldiers 
who held him, he commenced to insult and abuse Barnard by 
saying that he had killed his father and that after he got 
back to the boat he killed his mother. When this was trans- 
lated to him Barnard mashed his head with a club. 

The Indians are very superstitious and when any of them, 
is mutilated or disfigured as the one referred to above, he 
goes into seclusion and no one is ever allowed to see his face 
again. 

After the treaties of 1804 were made which ceded all .the 
country on the Wabash and Ohio rivers, south of the old 
Vincennes and ClarksviHe trace up to the Ohio Falls, to the 
United States from the Indians, many emigrants moved into 
that section. Many of them before that had been in Kentucky 



PIONEER HISTORY OF INDIANA. 201 

near the Ohio river, waitinjjf for the government to acijuire 
that territor}'. Notwithstanding- the number of men who 
came into the territory, there was much trouble with the In- 
dians, ^rowin^ out of the influence of the Prophet, Along- in 
1805 and up to the last of 1806 the Indians in all their stat- 
ions in Indiana Territory were loud in their declaration that 
the Ohio river should be the boundar}' line between them and 
the whites. Bands of 30ung hunters were continually- roving- 
through the country all along the territory between the Ohio 
and White rivers. The only posts the whites had for pro- 
tection at that time were Vincennes, the station at White 
Oak Spring-s on the old trace and a good fort in Lawrence- 
burg in Dearborn county; also a good fort at Clarksville. 
There is no doubt that many people were captured and des- 
troyed while attempting to move into that section whom no 
one ever heard of. 

In the early spring of 1807 a band of Delaware Indians 
on the Vincennes and Clarksville trace, west of the Mudholes 
(near where Otwell, Pike county, Indiana, is located) cap- 
tured a family named Larkins who were moving to a section 
near Vincennes. Night having overtaken them they had 
made a camp a little.way from the trace and during the night 
were captured by ten Indians. They killed Larkins and car- 
ried Mrs. Larkins and live children into captivity. A large 
boy who was coming with the family, in the confusion, made 
his escape and the next day met two of General Harris jn's 
scouts near White river. He related the terrible occurence to 
them and together they went back to the place where he had 
been encamped the night before and where they found the 
body of Larkins which they buried the best they could. One 
of the scouts then hurried into Vincennes to notify the 
authorities of the depredation. A troop of cavalry was sent 
to the scene but failed to find any trace of the captured fam- 
ily, but during the time they were scouting they came upon 
a band of Indians who were loaded down with provision and 
ammunition and headed for the south. These Indians no 
doubt were preparing for a raid on some of the outlying set- 
tlements hoping to capture unprotected emigrants. 



202 PIONEER HISTORY OF INDIANA. 

In the running- lig-ht with the cavalr.v two of the Indians 
were killed and the rest of the band lost their heavy packs 
and some of them their g-uns in g-etting- back across White, 
river. This fortunate meeting- of these marauders no doubt 
saved some boat crew or some settlement from being- murdered. 

Mrs. Larkins was the daug-hter of Colonel Greenup, of 
Kentucky; the boy who was with the band, named Joel Davis, 
was a relative of the colonel's and he hurried back to Ken- 
tucky with the sad news of the destruction of the family. 

There was so much trouble in different parts of the ter- 
ritory, especially in the southern part, that Governor Har- 
rison determined to org-anize several detachments of scouts 
and rang-ers hoping- in that way to che^k the numerous raids 
of the Indians. There were already fifteen or twenty reg-ular 
.scouts constantly on duty, who reported at headquarters at 
Vincennes. There were also a number of friendly Indians 
belonging to the Piankashaws, Weas and Delawares who 
were used as messengers. 

It was decided to organize the rangers of the Territory of 
Indiana into three divisions. The iirst division patrolled the 
territory from the Wabash river to some place near the 
French Lick Springs; the second from that point to the Falls 
of the Ohio river, the main camp of thgse two divisions was 
to be on or near the Clarksville trace. The third division was 
to patrol the section of the countr}' from the Ohio Falls to 
the neighborhood of Lawrenceburg with their main camp 
near Armstrong Station. These three divisions went on 
duty some time in the early spring of 18U7. This information 
was obtained from a small memorandum book kept b)- Cap- 
tain William Hargrove who was the commander of the first 
division. Who the other commanders were is not known to 
the author. The onl}- reference to their names was on a 
small scrap of paper found in Col. Hargrove's desk on which 
a receipt was written out in these words: — 

"Received from Captain Hargrove, sixteen 
pounds of powder, twenty pounds of lead at stock- 
ade near Blue river, October lb, 1807. 

John Tipton, Com. Sec. div. of Rangers." 



PIONEER HISTORY OF INDIANA. 203 

Governor William Henry Harrison's letters of instruction 
and orders by the Secretary of Indiana Territory, General 
John Gibson to Captain William Hargrove commanding- a 
detachment of Rang-ers in 1807. 

Colonel William Haryfrove was born in South Carolina in 
1775. When a youn<f man he moved to Kentucky where he 
married and then moved to the neiy^hborhood of Princeton, 
Indiana in 1803. While livinj^ in Kentucky he was three 
years in the Indian service and proved to be a brave, skillful 
soldier, makin^- a dangerous foe for the red man. After com- 
in": to Indiana Territory he was twice in the Ranjj-er service, 
first in 1807 and ajjain in 1812. He was promoted throug^h 
all the intermediate grades from captain to the rank of col- 
onel. In 1811 he was the first man in Indiana Territory to 
raise a company for service in the Tippecanoe Campaign. 
Colonel Hargrove and family were so closely identified with 
the settling of the southern part of the state and with its his- 
tory since that in future chapters they may be referred to 
often. In connection with the colonel's service with the 
Rangers in 1807 and 1812 are published here orders and let- 
ters of instruction to him by William Henry Harrison and 
signed by General John Gibson Secretar}' of Indiana Territory. 
These papers have never been in print before as they were in 
the colonel's desk with many other papers all in neat bundles, 
tied with buckskin strings. After the colonel's death in 1843 
they were taken care of by his son, Jacob W. Hargrove, who 
permitted the author to copy them in 1852 when he first de- 
termined to write this Pioneer History. 



"Vincennes, Indiana Territory, 

April 1(), 1807. 

"Captain William Hargrove: 

"This will be handed to you by Ell Ernest, one 
of our scouts. Since you were here on last Friday 
the loth inst., two of our scouts are in and report 
that last Sunda night, the 12th inst., a band of 
roving Indians cai)ture(l a white family on the old 
Indian road from this place to Clarksville this side 
of the mudhole (near where Otwell, Indiana, now 



204 PIONEKR HISTORY OF INDIANA. 

stands) killed the the man and took into captivity 
the woman and her five children. Governor Har- 
rison and Adjutant General John Small are both 
away. The Governor before starting: instructed 
me to write you that if it was possible without tak- 
ing- too many men out of your settlement, that you 
enlist at least twenty men for Ranger service giv- 
ing a preference at all times to men who have been 
on Indian campaigns, but not to leave any family 
without some able-bodied man to protect them, un- 
less they are in block-houses. This should be done 
at once so that the men can be on duty in five days. 
Send in two days from the time you receive this by 
the same hand an answer. I will then send you 
instructions as to your duties. 

By the order of the Governor. 

John Gibson, 
Sec'y- Indiana Territory." 

"Vincennes, Indiana Territory, 

April 20, 1807.. 
"Captain William Hargrove: 

"Your report by the hand of scout Ernest has 
been received. The Governor is very much pleased 
at your promptness. The supplies for the families 
of those who will serve as Rangers will be sent as 
often as needed. 

"I have ordered sent you today, one sack of 
salt, ten bags of meal, for you to distribute before 
you leave home. Also twenty-five pounds of pow- 
der, twenty-five pounds of lead, two hundred gun- 
flints, one bundle of tow. You will divide your 
force and form a squad of six men under a reliable 
man who will act as Sergeant to patrol the main 
travelled way from your settlement south to the 
Ohio river, at Red Banks. Instruct the Sergeant 
to make two trips each wa)^ every ten days. I will 
send a scout who will come with the men and carts 
that bring the supplies. He will go on duty with 
the squad patrolling to the south. The other thir- 
teen men will be with you; also one scout and two 
friendly Indians. You are to patrol the old Indian 
trace tnat leads from this place to Clarksville on 
the Ohio river, from a point where this old road 
crosses White river and going as far as thirty-five 



PIONEER HISTORY OF INDIANA. 205 

miles east of the mudhole. The two Indians to be 
direct!}- under the orders of the scout who will 
keep )OU informed of the orders he jjives them. 
Once every week send a report of your work to this 
oflfice. It has been ordered that movers coming- 
over the old trace shall be held on the other end 
until a number of them are tog-ether. Then they 
will travel with the rangers as they are coming- 
west on the trace. Any coming into your territory 
will be sent to a point out of danger by you, if 
coming to the older settlements. If they intend to 
form a new settlement, they must build a fort and 
stay in it until the season for raids has past. They 
can prepare houses where they intend to locate but 
they must remain in the blockhouses at night. If 
there should be extra men with the movers who 
have had experience as hunters or in Indian fight- 
ing enlist them if you can. I hope that your ex- 
perience in Indian warfare will help you protect 
your men. The roving- bands of Indians prowling 
over this unprotected country in the warm season 
aim to murder helpless people for their scalps and 
the capturing of prisoners for what they can realize 
from the sale of them for servants to ihe Briiish 
posts on the lakes. The}* are not hunting for arm- 
ed soldiers. A careful and vigilant scouting ser- 
vice will in a great measure do away with these 
prowling bands of Indians. 

By order of the Governor, 
John Gibson, Sec'y, Indiana Territory." 



"Vincennes, Indiana Territorv, 

April 2*>, 1807. 
Captain William Hargrove, in the Ranger Ser- 
vice of Indiana Territory: — 
"Your report by the half-breed Twenney came 
to hand this evening. The Governor wishes to say 
that he is well pleased with your work and fully 
agrees with you that the rt/Uie from the forks of 
White river, south to the Yellow Bankson iheOhio 
river (now Rockjiort. Indiana) should be patrolled 
at least once each week. The three men you have 
recruited can take the place of some of your best 
men that you are acijuainted with. You will send 
them over the route in company with one of the 



206 PIONEER HISORY OF INDIANA'. 

scouts. The Governor stigrgft^sts that you send scout 
FuQuav with them, as he is familiar with the coun- 
try south of you on the Ohio river. In your next 
report fully describe what was found on the Yellow 
Bank route and if any Indian sign has been seen 
near the Ohio river. 

"It is utterl)' impossible at this time to furnish 
anything like a company of men to assist the father 
of Mrs. Larkins in releasing her from captivity. 
The Governor directs that you say to Colonel 
Greenup that if he can bring the aid from Kentucky 
that he thinks he can, that scouts and guides will 
be furnished them from this post and that he is 
truly sorry that he has not the men to furnish all 
the help needed. 

John Gibson, Sec'y. of Indiana Territory'. 

By order Wm. H. Harrison, 

Governor, Indiana Territor}^" 



"Vincennes, Indiana Territorv, 

May 10," 1807. 
"Captain Wm. Hargrove, 

In the Indian Ranger Service. 
"Your report with enclosures have been re- 
ceived. The Governor feels very sorry that Colo- 
nel Greenup feels as he expresses himself. He 
ought to know and if reasonable would understand 
that to govern this wild territory and furnish half 
protection to the scattered settlers in this wilder- 
ness, that we have all we can do with the limited 
number of men that is at our command. It would 
be a very pleasing thing to aid your old so-dier 
mate and recapture Mrs. Larkins and her children. 
It is but 'iatural that her father should feel very 
anxious about her release but he could do nothing 
with the few men we could send him on such an ex- 
pedition. After leaving the old Indian road that 
you are on there is no settlement north and it 
would take an army to invade the country north of 
White river. You wall please convey to him the 
Governor's compliments and inform him of the con- 
tents of this letter. As soon as it is possible, we 
will give him all the aid we can, but it would do 
him no good to make the attempt with a few men 
as they would all be destroyed. 



PIONEER HISTORY OF INDIANA. 207 

"The report of the three men on the trace 
south to the Yellow Banks is noted. There is 
most likely but little travel on that route. The 
one family which 3'our men escorted to safet)' is a 
sufficient answer as to the usefulness of the patrol. 
They will be continued at least until the warm 
weather is over. William H. Hakkison, 

Governor of Indiana Territory. 

By John Gibson, 

Secretary of Indiana Territory." 



"Vincennes, Indiana Territory. 
May 22, 1S07. 
"Captain William Hargrove, Commandinj^ a 
detachment of Ranj>-ers: 

"Ell Ernest is in with your report. Will send 
)'OU a Cree Indian for the one you say is too lazy ta 
hunt. This Indian has been here for a long- time 
and has the reputation of being- a great hunter. 
He can keep your Rangers in meat. I have had an 
interview with him and he is delighted wiih the 
prospect of going as a scout. Ernest is actjuainted 
with him and can make him understand what is to 
be done. Ernest said that he saw a number of In- 
dians in bathing on the south bank of the White 
river and a number of them were fishing. They 
did not see him. As they were near here a platoon 
of cavalry has been sent with several scouts ta 
look after them. These troops before they return 
may report to you and wull inform you what these 
Indians were up to. There are always some con- 
trary people in all walks of life who are hard to 
manage. The ones you report are not all who 
have been troublesome. There is no deviating- 
from the rule. Anyone who refuses to sta}' in the 
fort when ordered, arrest them and send them ta 
this post, under guard. When the Government 
does all that it can to i)rotect its i)eople they must 
and shall obey the rules. This territory is under 
no law that can force obedience but the Military 
and all of its subjects must obey the governiny^ 
rule or be sent out of it. 

By the order of the (Governor. 

By John Gibson, 

Secretary of Indiana Territory. 



208 PIONEER HISTORY OF INDIANA. 

"Vincennes, Indiana Territorjs 

June 7, 1807. 
"Captain Wm. Hargrove, In the Rang-er Service. 

'"The requisition for provision has been filled 
and forwarded under escori. One of our scouts re- 
ports that Indians were seen passing- to the west 
on the south side of White river a little wa}' west 
of the place where the Indian trace to Louisville 
crosses that river. Whether the}' are a roving- 
band of friendly Indians or hostile ones has not 
been found out at these headquarters. There was 
a runner sent to David Robb's notifying him about 
the Indians. When you receive this you had better 
return to this end of your route and leave one-half 
of your men under your ranking non commissioned 
officer. With the rest you had better examine the 
country to the west on the south side of the river 
as far as two or three miles west of David Robb's 
place and see if you can find the cause of these 
Indians prowling over that section. If the fort at 
White Oak Springs is too small to hold the new 
comers, have them build another block house 
near it and have them both enclosed inside the 
same stockade with onl}' two gates for the two 
forts. If you can enlist of the new arrivals as 
man}' as twenty-five men for service at this post, 
3'our effort will be duly appreciated. The time of 
enlistment of quite a number of our troops expires 
next month and at least twent3'-five Kentuckians 
will not re-enlist. 

By the Direction of Wm. H. Harrison, 

Governor of Indiana Territor}'. 

John Gibson, Sec'y of Indiana Territory." 



"Headquarters, Post Vincennes, 

Indiana Territory, June 20, 1807. 
"Captain William Hargrove, Commanding a De- 
tachment of Rangers, Indiana Territor}'. 
"Your report by the hand of Ranger Hogue 
shows that it is best to be determined and firm in 
dealing with our friends as well as foes. You will 
not have to arrest any more for refusing to obey 
the orders for their own protection. Ernest can re- 
main two months longer. The service that he was 
wanted for was in a section where he had done 



PIONEER HISTORY OF INDIANA. 209 

scoutintr service some years aj^o. Mr. David Robb 
visited the (xovernor last Saturday the 13th inst. 
and remained over until Sunday. He says that 
everything- is (juiet in your home neighborhood. If 
3"ou can make the exchange without weakening 
your force it would be well. Men of families are 
more liable to yearn for home than single ones. 
Do not make the exchange until the young men 
are at the post of duty. Under no circumstances 
weaken your force, as you have a very important 
district to guard. Compulation for rations are 
paid for as the regular wages of the soldier, but 
not when they are in active service and living from 
supplies furnished by the hunters or by the comis- 
saries. Computation for rations is intended for 
those who are on detached duty and paying for 
their provision. The laws of the United States 
g-overn land warrants or land script and each man 
who serves the reciuired time is entitled to it and 
can claim any land that is surveyed and not allotted 
on his warrant. You are correct when you say that 
in these trouble, ome times that soldiers who are 
serving to protect their homes and country are 
much better troops than those who are serving- 
with the hoi)e of securing large pay. This country 
must depend on its soldiers and must pay them but 
the loyalty and ]>atriotism of those enlisted should 
be well looked after. In giving these certiticates 
whose time of enlistment is up, be sure to note on 
their discharge, the amount they have been paid 
and whether they prefer all in land or part in land 
and part in Treasury notes. 

By order of the Governor. 
John (jIbson, Sec'y of Indiana Territory." 



"Headquarters Indiana Territory, 

Vincennes, July 6, 1807. 
"Captain William Hakgrove, 

Commanding a Detachment of Rangers. 
"Last Saturday, the 4th inst. a number of 
friendly Indians were in to see the celebration of 
Indejiendence Day. A half-breed Delaware Indian 
named "Swimming Otter" reported that there 
was likely to be a raid made bv voung Indian hunt- 



210 PIONEER HISTORY OF INDIANA. 

ers on boats loaded with people and their plunder 
coming to this section b)- the Wabash or going- 
down the Ohio river. He said that the band would 
be led b)- an Indian who lost his father in a battle 
with a boat crew near the Red Banks (now Hen- 
derson, Kv.) The scouts thoroughl,v interrogated 
the Indian and he has promised to let them know 
the time they are to start and the route the}^ will 
follow. The raiders will not get started, so the 
half-breed sa)^s, in less than ten da3'^s and that he 
will be here two or three days before they go. You 
will then be informed by a runner so that 3^ou can 
thwart their designs if they attempt to cross your 
territory. It is reported here by friendly Indians 
that a band of Miami Indians captured a boat on 
the Ohio river some forty miles below Clarksville 
and captured the crew, killing two men and carry- 
ing two women and four children into captivit3^ 
You can do no better than you have. Thoroughly 
patrol the three traveled ways. You could not do 
any good by roaming over the wilderness unless it 
was to make a short cut to reach a point on one of 
the other routes. The white people coming to this 
section are on the three traces or down the Ohio 
and up the Wabash river. 

For the Governor. 
By John Gibson, 

Secretary of the Indiana Territory." 



"Headquarters Post Vincennes, 
July 12th, Sunday, 1807. 
"Captain Wm. Hargrove, Indian Territory Ran- 
ger Service: 

This will be handed you by a Piankashaw In- 
dian who is thoroughly reliable. He will remain 
with you until you send your next report. The 
half-breed, Swimming Otter, came in this noon and 
reported there were twelve in the band of Indians 
hunters and they will start Tuesday night, aiming 
to cross White river above White Oak Springs 
(now Petersburg, Indiana) and go in a direction 
that will place them on the Ohio at the mouth of 
Green river. It is hard to determine where the)^ 
will cross the old Indian road that you are on, but 



PIONEER HISTORY OF INDIANA. 211 

some place between the mudhole and the White 
Oak Spring's fort. The people at that Fort must 
be advised. You have the authority to secure 
as many men for temporary service from the White 
Oak Sprinjjf fort as they can si)are. You must have 
the section all alon^ for fifteen miles to the east 
thoroujj^hly patrolled. There will be thirty mount- 
ed men from this Post sent to the south of you who 
will patrol along- and near to the Patoka river with 
scouts at the different fords on that river. With 
all this vigilance I feel sure that the Indian band 
will be destroyed or turned back. 

By the direct order of W.m. H. Harrison, 

Governor of Indiana Territory. 
John Gibson, Sec'y. of Indiana Territory. 
"Post Script: 

"Have the scouts with the Indians on duty 
near White river send the Piankashaw Indian to a 
point near the forks of White river to report loyou 
every morning. He is thoroughly accjuainted with 
that section. Bv the Governor." 



"Headquarters Post Vincennes, 

July 17, 1807. 
"Captain Wm. H. Hargrove, Commanding a De- 
tachment of Rangers: 
"Your report by the Piankashaw Indian is to 
hand. The service rendered by your scouts is of 
such value to the country ihai the nation should 
substantially reward you and your commands. The 
Piankashaw Indian is well acquainted with ihe 
White river for many miles east of the fork. The 
chastisement given this ba d of robbers and cut- 
throats will have a good effect on them and others 
who would have folk wed .hem if ihey had been 
successful. The Indian only iea ns as it is shot 
into him. There will be no more raids from that 
direction this season but it is only safe when we 
are prepared to meet them, if they should attempt 
to come again. Say to young Hogue that the 
Governor will write him a pergonal letter compli- 
menting him for the good shot he proved to be. 
By order of Wm. H. Harrison, 
(xoveinor of Indiana Territory. 
John Gibson, Sec"y. of Indiana Territory." 



212 PIONEER HISTORY OF INDIANA. 

"Vincennes, Indiana Territory, Jul}' 23, 1807. 
"Captain Wm. Hargrove, in the Ranger Service: 

"Your report is to hand. The salt, meal and 
other supplies were sent by cart two days ago. 
The receipt paper I enclose to you. Also fifty 
pounds of lead, fifty pounds of powder, two hun- 
dred gun-flints, one bail of tow sent to White Oak 
Springs Fort in care of Woolsey Pride. The ten 
men you enlisted for extra service should have a 
certificate something like the following: 

" 'James Blank served ten days on extra mili- 
tary duty with the Rangers under Captain William 
Hargrove, commanding, dated and signed.' 

"The rangers on the traveled way to the south 
need not make more than one trip each way every 
ten days. The danger does not exist on that route 
that did some months ago but the}' will patrol to 
the east, south of the Patoka river a distance of 
forty miles as the river runs, to a trace that crosses 
that river coming north from the Yellow Banks. 
There is no regular traveled way. John Severn will 
guide them over a blind trace which runs on a line 
on which formerly there was a chain of small Indian 
towns running many miles to the east. They can 
go over this route as often as once each ten days 
until further orders. ISIr. Severns has been seen 
and will go as soon as yon can make the necessary 
arrangements. You will want good axemen to 
mark the traces plain by making blazes on the 
sides of the trees near the road so that it can be 
easily followed without a guide. 

By order of the Governor. 
John Gibson, Sec'y. of Indiana Territory." 



"Head(}uarters Indiana Territory, 

August 13, 1807. 
"Captain Wm. Hargrove, Commanding Rangers: 
"Scout FuQuay with your report is here. This 
office is well pleased to learn that everything is so 
quiet in your district. It often happens that the 
lull in Indian warfare is only temporary and that 
they are preparing to make a much larger raid at 
a point where you don't expect them. Indian war- 
fare as I have learned, after thirty years of experi- 



PIONEER HISTORY OF INDIANA. 213 

ence is like no other campcii^nirii,^. Their approach 
is so si}- and stealthy that you can never tell where 
or when they will come. They are the slyest and 
most treacherous enemy that any civilized troops 
ever had to contend with and the only security on 
the border is continual vi^^ilance. The camp of 
white people that Scout FuOuay found east of the 
trace to the Yellow Bank are no doubt a part of 
the misfjfuided people who have scattered over the 
country as fuj^ itives from justice that had assembled 
at an island up the Ohio river as followers of that 
arch traitor and murder, Aaron Burr. The Gov- 
ernor has closely interrojjated FuQuay and this is 
his opinion. The people are ^ruilt)' of no more 
wrong' than that of being duped by one of the 
smartest villain in the country. They only acted 
as was dictated to them by those who held and had 
held high positions in the Government. It is 
broadly hinted that a man high in military com- 
mand in the American army was strongl}' tinctured 
with Burr's chimerical conspiracy that saved him- 
self from disgrace by turning a traitor to Burr. 
The thing to do is for you to have these four mis- 
guided men with their wives and helpless children, 
prepare a fort some place where you think best in 
your military territory so that you can give them 
your protection. Your good judgment is depended 
upon to keep this matter close and so instruct the 
refugees. FuQuay has been obligated to secrecy. 
These people are no doubt worthy and will grow 
up among the other jiioneers and be useful to our 
country. You will find ovit from them if they know 
of any other bands in hiding. This territory needs 
more people and these misguided, duped men and 
women will make as good citizens as any. Your 
re«iuisition for provision and ammunition has been 
sent to you at White Oak Springs in care of 
Woolsey Pride who was at this Post yesterday. 
By the authority of the Governor. 
John Gibson, Sec'y. of Indiana Territory." 



"Vincennes, Indiana Territory, August 20, 1807. 
"Captain William Hargrove, Commanding scouts 
and Rangers: 
"Your report by the Crea Indian. He was de- 



214 PIONEER HISTORY OF INDIANA. 

tained here to carr,v you this letter of instruction. 
The four voung men you sent with him have en- 
listed and look like good material to make soldiers. 
The Governor is well pleased with your success in 
having- the four families located in your district. 
The young men you sent were interrogated separa- 
tely. They all agree in iheir siaiemenis that there 
are several other bands scattered over the territory 
some distance north of the Ohio river from ten to 
fifteen miles east of the yellow bank trace to some- 
thing like the same distance west of the same 
trace. They claim that there is one band of these 
refugees west of the Yellow Bank trace about ten 
miles. They were camped near a large creek. It 
is thought best for you to send FuQuay with t\^iO 
other men to find these people and have them locate 
in a place that they can be given protection and 
that they can aid in giving protection to others. 
Young Bailey, one of the men you sent in some 
time ago has orders to report to you to go with 
FuQuay. He is acquainted with the people and has 
been at their camp. He says that there are six 
men, three women and five children in the band. 
Instruct FuQuay to inform the refugees that they 
must move near some of the settled sections and 
build ablock house for their protection and there 
will be no questions asked. That as soon as the 
dangerous season for Indian raids has passed, they 
can goto work preparing homes. If you can enlist 
the men without families, do so. If you don't need 
them send them to his Post. If these people should 
refuse to settle as has been suggested, after you 
have plainly informed them it must be done, then 
3'ou send such a number of men as will be required 
to arrest and bring them and their belongings to 
this Post. The wounded old soldier and his wife 
you can put in charge of one of your stockade 
camps. The man to look well for Indians that ma}^ 
be prowling around, the woman to oversee the cul- 
inary affairs of the camp. 

"John Severns was here today and had an in- 
terview with the Governor about opening a trace 
from the one that runs south from 3'our neighbor- 
hood to the Red Banks, to commence fifteen miles 



PIONEER HISTORY OF INDIANA. *215 

north of the Ohio river on that trace, runninjjf 
thence east parallel wiih the river from forty to 
fifty miles. If it should become necessary to rein- 
force the Ranj^ers on either of the traces running 
to the south or the main one runnin<^ to the east, it 
would be almost impossible to do it as the country 
between the traces is one vast unbroken wilderness. 
Severns says that many larg-e creeks will have to be 
crossed that empty their waters into the Ohio. 
The trace just south of the Patoka river opened 
some time aj^o, will be extended from the Yellow 
Banks trace, thirty or forty miles east. You had 
better have the same men go over this route as 
soon as Severns is throu^fh with the new survev 
farther south. Mr. Severns says that in g^oing- 
near the Patoka river many abrupt banks and deep 
g-org-es are met with. Inform him that it is not 
necessary to make a straight line but to so blaze 
and mark it that it can be easily traced. It is not 
intended for wheeled vehicles or sleds to pass over 
but for foot soldiers mostly. The logs need not 
be moved but the brush had better be cut seven or 
eight feet wide. 

By order of the Governor. 
John Gibson, SecV. of Indiana Territory." 



"Vincennes, Indiana Territory. 
September 1, 1807. 
"William Hargrove, Commanding first division 
of Rangers, east of the Wabash river: 
"There has been a trace cut from the Clarks- 
ville and Vincennes road that leaves that route at 
a point about forty miles east of the Mudhole and 
running to the south, coming to the Ohio river at 
the west end of a large bend about three miles 
west of the mouth of Blue river. There is a 
traveled way that comes to the south bank of the 
Ohio opposite this point that runs to the south and 
far into Kentucky and people coming to this and 
other sections of Indiana Territory are crossing the 
river at that point and following Blue river to the 
old Indian road before mentioned. The two traces 
to the east which are now being opened should go 
into this Blue river trace. You are instructed to 



216 PIONEER HISTORY OF INDIANA. 

have a patrol of three men go over the new route 
nearest the Ohio river to the east as often as once, 
both ways, each week. Also a patrol of two men, 
one scout, to go over the trace to the east just 
south of the Patoka river as often as both wa3's 
once each week. If 3^ou do not have men enough 
and cannot enlist them, the}' will be furnished from 
this Post. It will be the best to send men who 
have seen service over these new routes and keep 
the newly enlisted men with you. 

By order Wm. H. Harrison, 

Gov. Indiana Territory.. 
John Gibson, Sec'3\" 



"Headquarters Indiana Territor3% 

Vincennes, Sept. 12, 1807.. 
"Captain Wm. Hargrove, Commanding Rangers, 
east of the Wabash river: 
"There has long been an old traveled wa}- from 
this Post that crosses the White river near David 
Robb's place and the Patoka river at John Severns', 
thence in a southwest direction to the Wabash river 
near the point where the Little Wabash empties, 
into the main river, thence across the main Wabash 
at that place which can only be crossed by canoes 
or check boats. This route is known by some as 
the Salt Route. Salt has become so scarce and 
high priced that a number of settlers south of 
White river have petitioned the Governor for an 
escort of soldiers to protect them whilst on the trail 
and at the salt works west of the Wabash river. 
This petition has been under consideration for sev- 
eral days. The Governor sent for Mr. Robb about 
this matter and it has been arranged that a meet- 
ing with the petitioners and other citizens would 
be held at Mr. Kimbles who lives on the site of the 
old Delaware Indian town eignteen or twenty miles 
southwest of Mr. Severns', on Thursday the seven- 
teenth day of September, 1807. You will tempor- 
orarily place your command in the hands of your 
Ranking Sergeant and attend that meeting, taking 
two men and one scout with you. After due de- 
liberation and consultation with the people present, 
if you think it best you can place two men on duty 



PIONEER HISTORY OK INDIANA. 217 

on the trail west of the river but their main camp 
must be on the east side of ihe Wabash when tliere 
are no parties to i^fuard at the salt works. The 
scouts will remain with the two soldiers doinjif reyf- 
ular scoutiny: duties. Instruct him to i;o for miles 
on every side of the salt works and learn the lay of 
the country and at niyfht to be near the works or 
with the soldiers at their camp east of the river. 
The salt makers are tt) be instructed to have cer- 
tain days to make salt and that they must <^o to 
the works in a body of not less than fifteen men, 
one-half of that number lo be at all time ready for 
military duty, subject to the orders of the Serjifeant 
which you place in command, to protect the others 
while the work is in proj^ress. That from this re- 
lief the camp yfuards must be furnished day and 
nijjfht. The two soldiers are to remain on duty as 
lon^ as you shall think it will be necessary to have 
a g-uard. Afier the first of December there is but 
little danger of Indian raids. This side of the 
Wabash is considered sufftcienily safe for so large 
a number of cautious men to travel at any lime. 
After the meeting you will send a report of ihe 
proceeding to this office. 

By directions of the Governor. 
John Gibson, Sec'v. of Indiana Territory." 



"Post Vincennes, Sept. 27, 1807. 
"Captain William Hakgkove, Ranger Service: 

"Your report of the l'>th inst. by your hunter, 
the Cree Indian, came in two days ago. He was 
retained to carry messages to parties on the old 
Salt trace. That information was wanted from us 
before this was sent so you. David Robb, John 
Severns, Sr. and Isaac Montgomery were here last 
night. The matter of a guard at the salt works 
was gone over carefully. They all agree wnth your 
report that there is no need of guards on the east 
side, of the Wabash and if it were not for a lot of 
foolhardy, careless people who would insist on go- 
ing there in small i)arties, there would l)e no need 
of guards on the west side of the rivei. The two 
men and the scout which you have there will re- 
main on duty. The most probable trouble, if any 
comes, will be from south of the Ohio river. You 



218 PIONEER HISORY OF INDIANA. 

can have your scout informed of this and hav^e him 
keep a close lookout in that direction. Young- 
Bailey returned several days ago with your report 
about the refugees. Retain the three young men 
which you enlisted if you need them. If the three 
families will come to a point within two miles of 
the Yellow Banks road it will do. If they prefer, 
they can move on to the new road that is being 
located to the east not far from where they are now 
camped. It is thought best for you to have Bailey 
look after this matter. These people must be near 
one of these routes and must prepare themselves a 
.strong blockhouse with a stockade around it. 

By order W. H. Harrisonn. 
Gov. of Indiana Territory. 
John Oibsox, Secretary." 



"Headquarters, Indiana Territory, 
Vincennes, Sunday, October 4, 1807. 
Captain Wm. Hargrove, in command of Rangers: 
The Governor wishes to assure you of his ap- 
preciation of your successful work in gathering so 
many of the unfortunate refugees at points near 
the Yellow Banks and other traces and the large 
colony which you have gathered on the new trace 
crossing the Yellow Banks road. This is a very 
desirable place to have a strong fort. In making 
the building be sure that it is strongly put to- 
gether, made out of large logs and that a stockade 
ten feet high be built that will enclose one acre of 
ground. In this enclosure can be erected a number 
of strong buildings that will safely protect fifty 
people. This will be a rallying point for all who 
may come later to that section. The times are very 
unsettled. The Indians are continualh' grumbling 
because the white people are in this country and 
threatening that unless their lands are restored thej^ 
will drive them back across the Ohio river. North 
•of the White river they could easily concentrate in 
such numbers that should they find our people un- 
prepared could overrun the most of your territory. 
It is hard to tell an3"thing about what an Indian 
will do when he has the advantage. The}- are the 
most treacherous, cunning rascals on earth and the 



PIONEER HISORY OF INDIANA. 219 

most brutal as well. The onh' safe way is to keep 
the advantajje on our side and put the Indians on 
the defense. When they know that your position 
makes one white man equal to ten Indians there is 
no danger of an attack. The two men cominjf into 
3'our lines east of the Mud-hole have certainl}' re- 
pented of all the wrong which thej' have done by 
following after Traitor Burr. It is best for you to 
see all these people who are connected with that 
unfortunate affair and instruct them under no cir- 
cumstances to let any one know that they were in 
the Burr conspiracy. If they do in after years they 
will be accused of being traitors bv people not half 
so worthy as the}' are. 

By William H. Harrison. 

Governor of Indiana Territor}'. 
Per John Gibson, Secretary. 



Headquarters, Indiana Territory, 

Vincennes, Oct. 12. 1807. 
William Hargrove, 

Captain Commanding in Ranger Service: 

Your report and the man you sent in under 
guard, are here. You did the right thing in ar- 
resting this man. All such suspicious cases as 
this should be investigated. What this man is has 
not yet been found out and it is doubtful if it ever 
is. If this country were at war with a white race 
it would evidently be determined that he was a spy 
locating the military strength and positions of our 
army. It may be that he is doing that work for 
the British. He evidently is not what he claims to 
be. A prisoner for two years among the Indians 
would not have such clean underwear beneath his 
buckskin suit. Then his hair has been recentl}' 
cut by a barber. He will be retained for the pres- 
ent. This is Sunday and the cart drivers are all 
at a gathering down the river someway. Will for- 
ward the supplies tomorrow. 

By order of the (Governor. 

John Gibson, Sect, of Indiana Territory. 



220 PIONEER HISTORY OF INDIANA. 

Headquarters, Indiana Territory, 

Sunday, Oct. 18, 1807. 

Captain William Hargrove, 
Commandinji- Rangfers: 

Your report by FuOuay is received. The flints 
were of a new lot. Since your statement has come 
they have been examined and found to be of shelly 
material and are of no value. Others will be sent 
)'OU as soon as possible. Have your men save the 
old ones until the others come. 

The statement of the Delaware Indian that he 
has seen the prisoner whom we are holding as a 
spy at Clarksville, two moons ago. is noted. 

The old trace that runs near the Ohio river 
crossing the Wabash and on the saline regions of 
the Illinois has been a regular pass waj^ for Indians 
from time when none know. The Shaw.ices under 
chief Setteedown have, as you know, a straggling 
settlement along this trail and extending to about 
ten miles off the Yellow Banks trace that you pa- 
trolled. Our scouts from this place have often 
been over the route and visited some white people 
located on the north bank of the Ohio. Major John 
Sprinkles, who lives on the north bank some six miles 
up the river from the mouth of Green river was to 
see the Governor vesterda}^ and informed him that 
detached bands of Indians had been passing east for 
eight or ten days and appeared to be carr3'ing their 
luggage with them. Baile}' Anderson, who lives 
in the neighborhood of a few of the Shawnee wig- 
wams, informed Mr. Sprinkles that some of these 
visiting Indians were preparing a camp not more 
than one mile from his cabin. This may be nothing 
but hunting parties from over the Wabash. Any 
unusual gathering of Indians on the Ohio river at 
this time of the year is looked on with suspicion. 
They may intend to remain during the winter and 
if a chance comes, attempt to capture boats and 
movers descending the river as soon as the water is 
in sufficient stage. You will temporarily leave 
your command in charge of Sergeant Hogue, tak- 
ing two reliable men with you and at your settle- 
ment secure mounts for your parties. Then go 
south along the Red Banks route and up to Major 
Sprinkles' cabin, who is aware of your coming. 



PIONEER HISTORY OF INDIANA. 221 

Bailey Anderson will fall in with your party as 
you jfo east from the Major's. You are to make an 
official visit to chief Setteedown. Bailey Anderson 
understands their lanj^uajje and will act as inter- 
preter. Before leavinyf the old Chief invite him to 
brinjj some of his younii" men and visit Governor 
Harrison at this Post. Plave him set the day as 
early as he will. You will then proceed east on the 
trace until you come to where it crosses the road 
runninyf to the north that comes to the Ohio river 
just west of the mouth of Blue river. Thorouj^hly 
familiarize yourself with the route. In returninj^, 
note well the topojjraphy of the country. Return 
the two men to their station and you report in per- 
son to this post. 

By the direction of Wm. H. Hakkison, 

Governor of Indiana Territory. 
John Gibson, Secretary." 



"V^incennes, Indiana Territory. 

October 20, 1S07. 
"Captain William Hargrove, Commanding: the 
Western Division of Ranj^ers east of the 
Wabash river: 
"Last Sunday nij>-ht the I81I1 inst. two of our 
scouts reiurniny: from a lon^ trip found ihemselves 
at While Oak Spring- fort a little after seven o'clock 
in the evenin^j:. On g-oin*^ to the g^ate asked per- 
mission to stay over night in the stockade, which 
was denied them. They were informed that when 
the urates were closed for the nig-ht that they would 
not be opened for anyone. The scouts showed 
their passes sig-ned by Governor Harrison, yet they 
were refused admittance saying- that Governor Har- 
rison nor any of his men could get in after night. 
The Governor directs that you investigfate this 
matter. Scout Ell Ernest, the bearer of this order, 
wall be permitted to be pieseni while the investi- 
g-ation is being made as he was one of the scouts 
who was refused permission to stay in the stockade. 
Go fully into the details. The Military authorities 
are doing- everything: possible wiih the few men at 
their command to protect the settlers who are scat- 
tered on the southern borders of this Territory and 
cheerfully dy this hard service, imperilling- the 



222 PIONEER HISTORY OF INDIANA. 

lives of the best men of the country, tr_ving- to give 
protection to those who are exposed to danger; but 
when it comes to such actions as is above related 
of men who were being- guarded, insulting and deny- 
ing the common courtesies to those guarding them 
that is so fully extended by all decent pioneer set- 
tlers to all who come to their cabins. Some par- 
ties at that fort are guilty of indignities that will 
not be silently passed over. Find, if you can if the 
owner of that fort was at home that night. Secure 
the names of the men who were there and if pos- 
sible the one who was spokesman. When you have 
made this investigation send the report to this 
office by Ell Ernest. 

Ordered by W. H. Harrison, 
Governor of Indiana Territor}^ 
By John Gibson, Sec'y. of I. T.'' 



"Vincennes, Indiana Territorv, 

Oct. 23, 1807. 
"Captain Wm. Hargrove: 

"The Governor directs me to send his compli- 
ments and inform )"ou that he appreciates the 
prompt and thorough manner in which you made 
the investigation wanted. Woolse}^ Pride is here 
and is fully exonerated and commended for so 
summarily punishing the parties who were guilty 
of the petty meanness. 

"Your obedient servant, 

John Gibson, Sec'y of I. T." 



"Headquarters, Indiana Territor}-, 

October 28, 1807. 
"Ww. Hargrove. Captain Commanding Rangers: 

"Chief Settedown and his young men have re- 
turned to their homes. He assured the Governor 
that the Indians gathering in his neigborhood 
were very peaeably inclined toward the white peo- 
ple and gave as a reason for their being there that 
game was more plentiful than across the Wabash 
and that they intended to stay only a short while. 
In answering the inquiry why he did not want to 
keep all the game for himself and people, said, 
that there was much more than he wanted. Finally 



PIONEER HISTORY OF INDIANA. 223- 

said that in less than one moon they would all yfo 
back over the Wabash. It is hoped that this will 
be true, but the only security with the Indians is 
to be always prepared and watch them. FuOuay 
is better accjuainted with that section than any one 
else we have in the service. He and Ben Payfe 
have orders to report to you at your east stockade 
camp, on the Clarksville trace and will hand you 
this letter. It is thought best for you to go with 
the two scouts to the Yellow Banks and have them 
make such disposition of their time during- the next 
thirty days as will secure the best information of 
the movements of the strange Indieins. This sug- 
gestion is made for your consideration in this mat- 
ter. You are on the ground and will understand 
the situation better than can be understood at this 
distance. The two scouts have each a new ax be- 
sides their rifles and ammunition. This is the 
equipment that most of the newcomers biing to the 
Territory. Have them go into the section a few 
miles east of Bailey Anderson's and build a small 
cabin and put in their time hunting and roving 
over as large a territory around their cabin as they 
can. In doing this they will have a pretty good 
idea of what the Indians are doing around them. 
If there is any design other than friendship by the 
newcomers, the Shawneesknow it. Of all this you 
are in the best position to And out the truth. The 
two scouts will send or bring you a report as often 
as you think best to require it. You are safe in 
giving FuOuay your confidence as he is one of the 
most trusted men that is in the employ of these 
head-quarters. 

By order of the Governor. 
John Gibson, Secretary of Indiana Territory."' 

"Post Vincennes, November 4, 1S07. 
"Captain Wm. Hakgkove, Commanding a Detach- 
ment of Rangers: 
"The location for the refugees is no doubt a 
good one. Plenty of water is very desirable. The 
(Governor is favorable to your suggestion. It cer- 
tainly would be to the advantage of the new 
emigrants for them to prepare a little cabin inside 
of the stockades and to remain in it during the 



224 PIONEER HISTORY OF INDIANA. 

winter. If they prefer to g-o to some other place 
in the sprinj^r they can do so. The advantag-e of 
being with a number of people during- the cold 
season in hunting and the social advantages is 
recompense enough for all the trouble they would 
be at to erect the little cabin. 

''Your opinion of FuQuay is correct. He has 
been closely indentified with the work in this part 
of the Territory since 1801. The Governor would 
gladly comply with your request but his services as 
scout is of such importance that it is not thought 
best to take him out of that position. Sergeant 
Hogue would till the place you wanted FuQuay for 
with a little training. 

"The supposed spy has been sent to Fort Wash- 
ington with a statement of the evidence and the 
affidavit against him. There will be no further 
need of hunting evidence in that case. Without a 
doubt he is a spy for the British and will be held 
as such for an indefinite time unless direct evidence 
of his guilt should be secured. Then he will be 
summarily dealt with. 

"You now have four roads or traces running to 
the east that can be easily found and traveled over, 
dividing your territory into sections between the 
Ohio and White rivers. Also you have four roads 
or traces running north and south dividing your 
territory in that direction from near the Wabash on 
the jvest to Blue river on the east, thus enabling 
3'ou to give much better protection to settlers now 
there and to the emigrants coming into your ter- 
ritory. This condition makes that section of this 
territor}' very de.drable for settlers. The most im- 
portant thing that you can do is to see that the 
blockhouses are so located that thej' will be acces- 
sible to those in the surrounding country if danger 
should come. There is no certaint ,^ that we will 
have a continuation of the quiet that now exists. 
The English on the north are doing all that the)^ 
can to cause trouble between the Indians and the 
pioneers, using the treaties which have been made 
as a pretext, claiming that it was fraudently ob- 
tained. 

"It is thought best that you make a personal 
inspection of all the blockhouses that are now built 



PIONEER HISTORY OF INDIANA. 

and the several that are bein^ constructed at the 
different stations in your territory and see that 
they are securely built and {J^ood, strong-, durable 
stockades surrounding them that will have suffi- 
cient room for the construction of from six to ten 
small cabins. Some one who is most competent in 
each fort must be placed in command and it must 
be understood that he is to be obeyed by all of 
those who will use that fort as a place of refuge. 

"Have them select by lot the man they want, 
but advise those interested that the most efficient 
men they have should be chosen. You will make 
a careful inspection of their arms and ammunition 
and should you find them deficient in either you 
can make a requisition on the ordinance office at 
this place through these head-quariers for the 
needed supplies. That needed for the eastern forts 
will be forwarded to you at White Oak Springs 
fort. That for the western division will be sent to 
David Robb's fort. You will have the proper par- 
ties meet you at a stated period at these places and 
give out the guns and ammunition to them taking 
their receipts for the same. This will simplify the 
work and as soon as you can have a sufficient num- 
ber of forts so that they will be reasonably accessi- 
ble in all the Territory, which you command, the 
need of the Rangers continually marching over the 
traces will be done away with. Carefully read this 
letter of suggestions and when you send in your 
next report any suggestions you may have to make 
will receive careful consideration. 

By direction of W. H. Harrison. 

Gov. of Indiana Territory. 

John Gibson, Secretarj;." 

"Vincennes, Indiana Territory. 

November 12, 1807. 
"Capt. Wm. Hargrove, Commanding tirst division 
of Rangers, east of the Wabash river: 
"Your report enclosing a letter from FuQuay. 
The contents of that letter were fully considered 
by the Governor. That there would be some ex- 
cuse made for the Indians to remain during the 
winter months has been suspect. The fact that 
they are building such secure tepees warrants that 



226 PIONEER HISTORY OF INDIANA. 

suspicion, but their attempt to be adopted into the^ 
tribe of the Shawnees was unlooked for. The 
Governor directs that 3'ou have a vig-ilant watch 
kept on their actions until about the 26th inst. the 
time Chief Setteedown set for their return will 
then be up. Better have Baile)^ Anderson inter- 
view the old Chief and in their talk remind him of 
his promise to the Governor that they would be 
gone in one moon. FuQua}- and Anderson it seems 
found out that the Illinois Indians on the visit are 
Kickapoos and that the}- have one of their sub- 
chiefs in command of them. This looks suspicious. 
You can do nothing as 3'et, only have FuQuay and 
Ben Page keep a vigilant watch on the Indians 
and instruct them to send one of 3'our runners, who 
you will keep near them, to you with any informa- 
tion that the}' may , secure. If you should learn 
any new dangerous developments, send immediately 
to this head-quarters a report of it. If it should 
become necessary, one hundred men can be sent 
from this Post to any point which you may think 
best to place them. The Governor thinks it best 
to make a camp on the Yellow Banks trace at the 
point where the large fort is located (formerly cal- 
led Taylorsville, nowSelvin, Warrick county, Ind.) 
If the stockade is not as large as is needed, it can 
be enlarged and in a short time the soldiers can put. 
up such barracks as will make them comfortable 
for the short time that they will likely stay. 

"The Piankashaw Indian, named Yellow Bird, 
has just returned from a visit to Indian friends on 
the west fork of White river. He said to one of 
our friendly Indians that the Indians on White 
river were grumbling about the treaties and threat- 
ening to drive the Americans back over the Ohio. 
That there is a great unrest among the Indians is 
not doubted by those whose business it is to know 
what is going on outside of the settlements. What 
it may terminate in is uncertain. It is best for our 
people to be well on their guard and be ready in the 
event war should come. 

By order of the Governor. 
John Gibson, Sec'y. of Indiana Territory." 
"Post Script: The Governor directs that you 
ascertain how many able-bodied men you have in 



PIONEER HISTORY OF INDIANA. 227 

3'our district that would be able to bear arms. 
This duty can be done by some of your active 
N'ounjf men. 

For the Governor. 
John Gibson. Secretary. 



"Vincennes, Indiana Territory, 

November 18, 1807. 
"Captain Wm. Hakgkove, in the Rang-er Service: 

"The men will be sent in two hours from the 
time your runner arrives if they will be needed. If 
you think that fifty men will be sufficient, that 
number will be- sent. It is best to have all that 
will be needed. 

"At a point some miles below the mouth of 
White river, there has been some trouble between 
the settlers and the Indians who had a few wigwams 
some distance to the east of ihe Wabash river. 
Two Piankashaw Indians are here today. They 
say that their people were driven away across the 
Wabash river and their tepees, skins and plunder 
burned. 

"It is directed that you i^o and investiyfate 
this matter and see what can be done about ob- 
taining: a satisfactory adjustment wiih the Indians. 
Everything: has been done here to allay ihe ill feel- 
ii gs of ihe two Indians. The Governor ordered 
some ten is. blankets and kettles to be sent to ihose 
who lost iheir properly. If you can find out who 
the whi.e people were you will remi :d ihem that 
such conduct as this must noi occur again. This 
Territory is in vo shape for a race war with the 
Indians, which they would be only too glad for an 
excuse to engage in. It mighi be best that you 
take David Robb and son;e oiher of your best in- 
formed ciiizens with you when you make the in- 
vestigation. The Indians who were driven away 
are with another band of Piankashaw Indians west 
of the Wabash several miles below the mouth of 
the White river. 

By order of Wm. Henry Harrison, 

(Governor of Indiana Territory. 

John Gibson, Secretary." 



228 PIONEER HISTORY OF INDIANA. 

"Headquarters Indiana Territory, 

Vincennes, Nov. 23, 1807. 
Captain Hargrove, Commanding- Rangers: 

You will personally invite Bailey Anderson 
to visit these Headquarters. The Governor wishes 
to properly recognize his services in persuading old 
Chief Setteedown to force the Kickapoo Indians 
back to their homes west of the Wabash. There 
will be no further trouble in that direction. Your 
estimate of the number of men in your Territory 
able to bear arms shows a very gratifying condi- 
tion. A little more work in locating forts and 
stockades at two or three exposed places, will place 
you in good condition to repel any attack that may 
be made on the settlements. 

By order of the Governor. 

John Gibson,- Secretary." 



"Vincennes, Indiana Territory. 

November 27, 1807. 

"William Hakgrove. Commanding the Western 
Division of Rangers east of the Wabash 
river: 

"The Governor directs that you discharge the 
men who are on patrol duty except those who are 
on duty on the trace east of White Oak Springs 
Fort. The patrol over that route need not go over 
that trace but once in every eight days. The scout 
and the two friendly Indians will patrol the sec- 
tion of White river from the forks up to as far as 
twenty-five miles east of the Mudholes. There is 
more danger arising from stray .bands of Indians 
attempting to come into the settlement for the pur- 
pose of stealing horses than there is of an attack 
on the settlers. 

"In discharging the men, any whom 3^ou find 
who wish to remain in the service, you will enlist 
for regular soldiers and order them to report to 
these head-quarters with a copy of their enlistment 
papers. When you have finished this work, have 
scouts, FuCJuay and Page remain with you and 
with them visit every portion of your Territory and 
notify the people at the blockhouses and the set- 
tlements that they must keep a vigilant lookout. 



PIONEER HISTORY OF INDIANA. 229 

as the Ranyfers will be withdrawn. After havinj^ 
visited all the stations, return to White Oak Sprinj^s 
and tlischarj^e all but two of the men and Serj^eant 
Hoyue who you will place in command with in- 
structions to carefully watch the section east of the 
Mudholes on his patrol; and for him to report b}' 
the hand of one of the friendly Indians to these 
head-quarters once every two weeks. When you 
have finished this work you will report to this Post, 
bring-ing FuQuay and Ben Pajjfe with you. 

By order of the Governor. 
John Gibson, Sec'y. of Indiana Territory." 



The Burning of an Indian Town Near Owensville. 

The last village inhabited by the Indians in the south- 
western part of Gibson county was located in the northeast 
corner of section 9, township 3, rang-e 12 and in section 4, 
township 3, range 12, two miles west of Owensville. 

It was a straggling villag-e extending westward from the 
northeast corner of section 9, for about a mile, composed of 
wigwams and built along the springs coming out of the foot 
of the sand hills. 

The Indians were driven away late in the summer or 
early in the fall of 1807, and the wigwams burned all except 
a few which were still there in 1809. The villag-e was de- 
stroyed by Captain Jacob Warrick and others. If there was 
any fighting done or Indians killed it was never known except 
by those engaged in it. There were very good reasons for 
their silence as the Government did not allow such acts when 
at peace with the Indians. 

Captain Warrick settled on the northwest quarter of sec- 
tion 11, east of the village. Purty Old Tom Montgomery, 
Capt. Warrick's father-in-law, settled on the southwest quar- 
ter of section 12, Robert Anderson and sons settled northeast 
of Owensville and others living in the vicinity of Owensville 
ten years before the town was laid out. The men who assist- 
ed Captain Warrick in driving the Indians away and destroy- 
ing their town were men who had settled west and southwest 
of Anderson's creek, now Marsh creek, in the neighborhood 



230 PIONEER HISTORY OF INDIANA. 

of Owensville and probabl)' others from the neighborhood of 
Princeton, seven 3'ears before Princeton was laid oat. The 
villag-e belon-g-ed to the Piankashaws, and the Indians who 
g-ot away crossed the Wabash river in to southern Illinois, 
which was then Indiana Territory. 

The destruction of the village made the Indians hostile 
and it came near bringing on war and no doubt would had it 
not been for the second raid across the Wabash river. 

After the destruction of the village, the settlers found 
the Indians were coming back and prowling around in the 
neighborhood of nights. They also found that ihey were go- 
ing back along the old Indian irace from the bluff to the 
island their crossing. 

The settlers becoming very uneasy for fear they would 
be attacked and massacred, hastily organized a company 
about the 1st of October, 1807 all well mounted and armed. 
They took. the old Indian trace early one morning for Coffee 
Island ford on the Wabash river. They rode across the ford 
to the west bank of the river and there held a cour.cil and laid 
plans for advancing. Captain Warrick was to follow the In- 
dian trace and the others to deploy on each side of him within 
hearing distance. The old Indian fighters were placed on 
the extreme right and left flanks. Robert Anderson and his 
son. Watt, were on the right and Purty Old Tom Mont- 
gomery was on the left of the line and the younger men were 
between Montgomery and Warrick and Anderson and Warrick. 
The orders were for Warrick to ride down the trace slowly 
and cautiousl}'. Young Sam Anderson with Warrick was 
carrying a large cow's horn instead of a bugle. The signal 
to retreat if too many Indians were found, was to be two long 
blasts on the horn and a shot from a rifle. The objective 
point was the Piankashaw Indian village located on a small 
stream running in a westerly direction into Bumpas. 

They followed the trace to the east end of a small prairie. 
Captain Warrick and others rode into the edge of the prairie 
and discovered fifty or sixty Indian warriors advancing east 
to meet them but out of reach of their guns. They rode 
back into the timber. Captain Warrick ordered Anderson to 



PIONEER HISTORY OF INDIANA. 231 

g-ive the retreat signal on the horn, and they retreated to the 
ford as rapidl}' as possible, all reaching there about the same 
time except Purt}' Old Tom Montgomery. Captain Warrick 
ordered them to cross the ford in haste but four or five old 
Indian fighters, — Old Bob Anderson, his son. Watt, and a 
few others stayed with Warrick to wait for Montgomery. 
They waited long as they dared and then crossed the river to 
the rest of the compan}'. They hadn't been across long when 
twenty-five or thirty Indians came upon the other side of the 
river, then Bob Anderson said to Captain Warrick — "Tom's 
gone this time," but he was wrong; a man who had fought 
Indians over half of old Virgina, all of Kentucky and south- 
ern Indiana could not be captured by Piankashaw Indians. 
In advancing Montgomery had g-ot too far to the left and 
away in advance of the line. When he heard the signal to 
retreat he turned his horse and rode into the south edge of 
the prairie when he saw that the Indians were going into the 
forest from the east end of the prairie and that he was cut off 
from the others. He rode back into the timber and rode for 
the river as fast as his horse would carry him. When he 
reached the river he swam his horse to the Indiana side and 
rode up on the bank where he could see over the brush at the 
point where he crossed the river, knowing the Indians would 
come on the trail of his horse. 

Eight or ten Indians had followed him to the*edge of the 
water, and he shot at them across the river. When the com- 
pany at the Island heard the shot, old Robert Anderson said 
— "Boys, that's Tom's gun" and the_v answered him from the 
Island. They did not have to wait long until Purty,01d Tom 
came riding up to the compan)- as unconcernedl)' as if he had 
been on a deer hunt. 

The little creek that the Piankashaw village was on, 
drained a low, wet prairie, that since that time was named 
Village creek and the prairie named Compton Prairie. 

The Montg^omery referred to in this story was the first 
of the family to locate in southwestern Indiana. From him 
has decended the large influential family of Montgomerys 
-and their descendants in southwestern Indianajand Illinois. 



232 PIONEER HISTORY OF INDIANA. 

DivisoN OF Indiana Territory. 

There was a strong- part}- in the Indiana Territor_v dur- 
ing the period from 1806, '07 and '08 that was continually 
petitioning Congress for a division of the Territor_v. The 
reason mostly assigned were the vast extent of the Territory 
and the small population that was in any portion of it, except 
that bordering on the Wabash, Mississippi, and Ohio rivers. 
The Illinois country at that time only had settlements border- 
ing on the Mississippi river and ver}^ distant from the head- 
quarters of the Territory. It was almost impossible at cer- 
tain seasons of the year to reach these remote sections and at 
all times dangerous from the attacks of the Indians. The 
subject was disposed of by Congress on the 3d of February, 
1809. The said act declared that after the 1st day of March, 
1809, all that part of Indiana Territory lying west of the Wa- 
bash river in a direct line drawn from the said Wabash river 
and Post Vincennes, due north, to the territorial line between 
the United States and Canada, should constitute a separate 
Territory and be called Illinois. This reduced Indiana to its 
present limits. 

The Territorial Legislature of 1808 elected their Speaker 
of the House of Representatives, Jesse B. Thomas to the 
ofi&ce of delegate in Congress in place of Benjamin Park, 
who was appointed to the Supreme Bench in the Territorial 
Court. 

There was mucn difficult)^ about the organization of the 
first legislature after the division of Indiana Territor}^ In 
1809 a petition for the General Assembly of the Territory was 
laid before Congress. This petition contained the state- 
ment — "In the year 1805 there was a legislature organized 
under a law dividing the Territory northwest of the River 
Ohio; that on the 26th day of October, 1808, the Governor 
dissolved the said legislature. On the 3d day of February, 
1809, the law of Congress passed dividing the Indiana Ter- 
ritory and on the 4th of April, 1809, the Governor of this 
Territory issued his proclamation for the election of the ad- 
ditional members of the House of Repiesentatives. Also on 



PIONEER HISTORY OF INDIANA. 2.v^> 

the 27tli oi February. ISO'), the hiw i)assed exten(lin}.r the 
ri'jfht of suffrayfe to the citizens of Indiana, declarinyf how 
the lejifislature shall be formed. After the i)assa<i-e of said 
law the (reneral Assembly should apportion the members of 
the House of Representatives to consist of not less than nine 
nor more than twelve. This law was ])redicated on the prin- 
nciple that there was a legislature at the "lime of its passajjfe 
or that the legislature might convene by the authority of the 
Governor, but the truth was, the old legislature was dissolved 
by the Governor, as before stat»"d and at the division of the 
Territory lessened the number of members by three in the 
House of Representatives and two in the council. The fact 
was, there was no legislature in existence. The principal 
thing that existed in the minds of the petitioners were how 
the old legislature could be brought into life so that it could 
organize a new legislature, in accordance with the acts of 
Congress. On the first Monday in April, 1809, the Governor, 
by proclamation, directed that an election be held for mem- 
bers of the House of Representatives. At this election there 
were four members elected; two from Knox count}-, one from 
Dearborn and one from Clark. On the 4th of April, 1809, 
(six days before the above laws of Congress arrived here) 
the Governor issued a proclamation for election to be held on 
the 22d of May, for five councilmen and four more represen- 
tatives; one for Knox count}', one for Dearbonr, one for Clark 
and one for Harrison. 

"Notwithstanding the uncertainty of the proceedings, the 
governor issued a proclamation convening the Legis'ative 
Council above elected and the members of the House of Rep- 
resentatives to meet on the Ihth of June, 1809. The repre- 
sentatives of the Legislative Council convened and the Leg- 
islature, doubting the legality of its actions, agreed to post- 
pone any action of a Legislative capacity, except apportion- 
ing one other member to make up the nine, agreeable to the 
act of Congress, extending the right of suffrage to the cit- 
izens of this Territory." 

On the 21st of October, 1809, at the re(iuest of the two 
Houses, the Legislature was dissolved by Governor Harrison. 



234 PIONEER HISTORY OF INDIANA. 

The members of the Legislative Council thus disolved were 
Solomon Man waring-, of Dearborn county; Thomas Down, of 
Clark county; Harvey Heath, of Harrison county; William 
Prince and Luke Decker, of Knox county. The members of 
the House of Representatives were Richard Rue, Ephriam 
Overman, Dearborn county, James Beggs and John Work, 
of Clark county; Moses Hoggit, of Harrison county; General 
W. Johnson, John Johnson and John Hadden, of Knox 
county. 

On the 22d of May, 1809, an election for delegates to Con- 
gress was held in the Territory of Indiana. At this time the 
only counties were Knox, Dearborn, Clark and Harrison. At 
this election Johnathan Jennings received four hundred and 
twenty-eight votes; Thomas Randolph received four hundred 
and two vo.es; John Johnson recei^^ed eight3'-one votes; Jen- 
nings received a pluraity and was declared elected. 

During the year of 1810 a great man}- settlers came into 
the Territory- Tiie miliiia throughout the Territory was 
organized, properly officered and thoroughly drilled. On ac- 
count of the coniinued disturbance raised bv Tecumseh and 
the Prophet and a large band of disconteiiied Indians the}- 
had gathered aboui ihem, it was feared there would be an 
ou I break as it was continually asserted bj' Indians, who were 
known to be in constant communication with the British, 
that the Americans would be driv^en south of the Ohio river; 
Wi ramac, a Pottawattamie chief, told two of Harrison's 
friendly Indians, that in less than twenty moons there would 
be no Long Knives this side of the great River Ohio and that 
they intended to maintain that line as a division between the 
two races or leave their bodies on the northern shore. 

The land offices, by an act of Congress in 1804 were 
■opened for the sale of lands in Indiana Territory at Detroit, 
Vincennes, Kaskaskia and 'in 1807 there was a land office 
opened at Jeffersonville. The one at Vincennes did more 
business than the one at Jeffersonville, for several years. 
The land situated in Clark's grant was located and set off by 
a commission appointed for that purpose. In this country 
there was but little money, as most of the emigrants coming 



PIONEER HISTORY OF INDIANA. 235 

here had passed throu«,''li the scourj^e of the Revolution and 
the only means of g-ettinjf money at that time was by hunt- 
ing and trappinj,^. Venison hams, and the skins of fur bear- 
in}^ animals were all that the early settlers of this country- 
could realize money for and those at very low prices. It was 
considered a jjfood price if one got twenty-live cents a pair for 
venison hams, and fifteen to twenty cents for large deer skin; 
coon skins fifteen and twenty cents and other skins at about 
the same proportion Notwithstanding: the difficult}' of secur- 
ing: money at these low prices, many thousands of acres of 
the rich lands of Indiana were purchased by the money se- 
cured in this way. 

These early settlers had made but few improvements as 
they had but liitle time for any work ouiside of the chase. 
On this, their very existence depended. The small fields 
that were plginted in corn were very hard to protect from the 
depredations of the wild animals so numerous in ihe countr)' 
at that time. When the corn was in the milk, there was 
nothing except honey that the bears so dearly loved, and it 
has been known that ten acres of corn were ruined in a ver}' 
few nights by a number of bears congregating there and rid- 
ing the corn down to secure the milk from the ears. The cooiis 
were another great cause of destruction of corn. Squirrels 
were as plentiful then as birds and when the corn was suitable 
for "roasting ears" the squirrels would destroy acres of it. 
Many kinds of birds in that day were very destructive to 
corn fields and it was impossible to raise hogs as the bears 
and panthers would destro}' them. 

At the time that Harrison was having so much trouble 
to keep the Indians in subjection and planning for the defense 
of the territory, there were those who were continually find- 
ing fault with his administration, claiming that his persist- 
ency in securing land concessions was the cause of the Ind- 
ians' continual grumbling and threatening to drive the Amer- 
icans away. This was, as it always has been, the outgrowth 
of political venom and envy. No doubt the continued loud 
mouthing of the disgruntled aspirants was understood by the 
Indians who had spies, pretended friendly Indians, all the 



23f. PIONEER HISTORY OF INDIANA. 

time at Post Vincennes. A chief, Waytheah or Long Shark, 
said to Captain Wilson at one time when he was among- the 
Shawnees, that the Indians did not need to fight the Amer- 
icans; if let alone they (the Americans) would fight and de- 
stroy each other; that Governor Harrison was more deter- 
minedly hated by half of his own people than he was by the 
Indians. With this continual opposition from his own peo- 
ple and the threatening attitude of Tecumseh and the Proph- 
et, Harrison was perplexed how best to manage to steer clear 
of the political caldron at home and keep the Indians in sub- 
jection. 

Fortunately the Congress of the United States made no 
mistake when it elected William Henry Harrison Governor 
and Commander-in-Chief of Indiana Territory, for he was 
wise, patient, and far-seeing and had good grit all the way 
through. When it became evident that the Indians on the 
Wabash had to be chastised, he soon put himself in position 
to be thoroughly prepared for the fray. He selected some of 
the most outspoken of those who so bitterly opposed him as 
members of his staff and gave them important positions re- 
quiring skill and accomplishment; he even surrounded his 
person with two of the most bitter ones as his personal aids 
and in this way stopped their mutterings and made them 
efficient and loyal supporters of the government. One of 
these men was mortally wounded in the battle of Tippecanoe 
and breathed his last in Harrison's arms. 



CHAPTER X. 



The Battle of Tippecanoe — Impoktance of the Victoky 
Cause of Battle — The Principal Contestants — 
Negotiations For Peace — Collecting Army at Vin- 
CENNES — Movement of Army From Vincennes— Fort 
Harrison Established — Advance on Prophet's Town 
— E>^CAMPMEVT — The Battle — Governor Harrison^s 
Report of the Battle— Incidents of the Battle — 
Resolutions Adopted by Territorial Legislature — 
Roll of the Army That Fought at Tippecanoe, 



In this chapter commences a history of the trouble be- 
tween Harrison and the two ^^reat Indian leaders, Tecumseh 
and the Prophet. 

There has been so much recrimination and controvers}' 
about the battle of Tij^pecanoe, the action of (General Harri- 
son in that battle and so many statements of i)olitical oi)pon- 
ents that were at variance with the truth that it is thoujjfht 
best as an introduction to this chapter to J4"ive a full explana- 
tion of the cause of that battle beinyr foujjfht on the morninj^ 
of the 7th of November, when the evening before the Indian 
Chiefs had so solemnly arrano^ed for a treaty of peace to be 
held on the morning- the battle was fought. After this a 
short sketch of the birth and nativity of Harrison and the 
two Indian chiefs will be given. 

The battle of Tippecanoe was the only battle fought on 
Indiana soil in which the militia of Indiana: in any great 
number took part and they accjuitted themselves so creditably 
in that engagement that it is a great pleasure to note their 
heroism. 



238 PIONEER HISORY OF INDIANA. 

It is not too much to say with only the fringe of settle- 
ments that was on the southern borders of Indiana in 1811^ 
that had (General Harrison been defeated at that battle, most 
terrible and distressing- results would have followed. The 
Indians who had been held in subjection and who were ap- 
parently friendly would nearly all have joined Tecumseh and 
the Prophet's confederation and turned ag-ainst the defeated 
whites; just as the pretended friendly Indians on the northern 
borders of Illinois, Indiana and Ohio did, when Hull so cow- 
ardly surrendered the army at Detroit in 1812. The perman- 
ent settlement of this country would have been retarded for 
several years and the military career of one of the most use- 
ful men of this nation would have come to an end and in- 
stead of the War of 1812, commencing on the northern bord- 
ers of the Northwest Territory, as it did, it would have com- 
menced on or near the Ohio river, with results that are hard 
to guess at owing- to the incompetency that w^as shown by so 
man)' of the leaders in that war. 

In the make-up of an arm}' there are some who are al- 
ways ready to run unnecessar}- risks if the}' are not held in 
subjection. This was ihe case at Tippecanoe when the army 
arrived at the Prophet's town in the afiernoon of the sixth of 
November, 1811. Some of the subordinate commanders who 
were panting- for a chance to disting-uish themselves and to 
receive military renown, were \'ery loud in their declaration 
that Governor Harrison should aiiack the Indians at once. 
Long years after the battle was fought many military critics 
were severe in their denunciation of the want of military tact 
shown by the Governor, but ihis was all uncalled for and 
came from those who would not have been able to command 
properly a corporal's guard. 

Governor Harrison's orders, from Secretary of War was 
to break up the confederation of Indians and to have those that 
belonged to other tribes, g-o back to their homes; to have the 
Prophet make pxapef restitution for the annuity salt that he 
had taken from a boat that was being conveyed to other In- 
dians; to restore a lot of stolen horses and to deliver up a 
number of murderers who were being harbored in his town. 



PIONEER HISORY OF INDIANA. 239* 

To accomplish this, he was directed to use peaceful means. 

The Indians met him with overtures of peace and the ar- 
rang-ements were made to have the meetinj^- the next morn- 
inji". The army went into camp and arranjj^ed themselves as 
comfortably as men could who were situated as the}' were. 
No one in camp expected a battle that night, thoug-h every 
precaution was taken to prepare the army for battle if it 
should come. Those who have studied the history of that 
battle nearly all agree that on the evening of the sixth of 
November, when Harrison and the chiefs were making ar- 
rangements for a camp and for the conference to be held the 
next morning, the Indians had no intention of bringing on 
the battle that night. 

Tradition has it that White Loon, one of the three 
chiefs in the immediate command of the Indians in the battle, 
said to a party of white prisoners who had been in the bat- 
tle of Tippecanoe and were afterward captured at Hull's sur- 
render at Detroit, that the Prophet and the chiefs in town 
had no thought of bringing on the battle, but during the 
first part of the night, Winnamac, a Pottawattamie chief, 
arrived in town and as soon as he learned the condition of 
things, went to the Prophet and told him that it was now or 
never; that if he would have the forces organized and ready 
for battle by the early hours of the morning, they would slip 
up on the Americans and murder them in their camp. A 
council was convened and afier a long conference at which 
most of the chiefs were assembled, it was found that a large 
majority of them opposed the attack. At this, Winnamac, 
who was a fearless dare-devil, called them cowards and said 
that if they were going to submit like whipped dogs to the 
Americans he would take his people (who formed one-third 
of the town; and go back to his nation. This had the de- 
sired effect and it was agreed that the attack should be made. 
The night was spent in organizing the forces (something 
less. White Loon claimed, than nine hundred and fifty war- 
riors). Several Indians were sent to locate particularly the 
position of the troops. Stone Eater. White Loon and Win- 
namac were put in immediate command of the Indians. 



240 PIONEER HISTORY OF INDIANA. 

The Prophet, after it was ag-reed to bring: on the iig-ht, made 
a speech that roused the Indians to a high pitch. He made 
them believe that they would have as easy a victory as the 
Indians did over Braddock and St. Clair and that all the 
whites would be driven back across ihe Ohio^river. He as- 
sured them thai the bullets of the Americans would not huit 
them. 

Governor Wm. H. Harrison, Tecumseh and the Prophet. 

In the state of Ohio, near where the city of Spring-field 
now stands, Tecumseh, his brother, the Prophet, and another 
brother were all born at one birth. If tradition is right this 
was in 17()4. Tecumseh, at Taladeg-a, September 1811, in a 
speech before an assembly of Creek Indians and their great 
chief Rutherford, in part said— "I have seen twice twenty 
and two springes come and go again, and during all that time, 
the want of confederation has brought disaster and ruin to 
many Indian tribes." Their father was a Shawnee w^arrior 
of prominence. Their mother was a Creek woman named 
Methataska, who had been captured b)' the Shawnees. The 
name "Tecumseh" stood for wild cat springing on its prey; 
the Prophet's name "Elkswatawa," for "loud voice." There 
is no historical or traditional record of the third brother ex- 
cept his name which was "Kamskaka." 

William Henry Harrison was born in Charles count}', 
Virginia, February 9, 1773. His father, Benjmian Harrison, 
was one of the signers of the Declaration of Independence. 
Young Harrison, on coming to manhood, joined the regular 
army with the rank of an Ensign, and was soon promoted to 
a Lieutenant. He served with General Anthony Wayne in 
his campaig-n against the Indians in 1794 and was with him 
in the battle of Maumee. Tradition has it that Tecumseh 
was a very active partisan in the campaig-n that terminated 
in the defeat of the Confederate bands of Indians at the bat- 
tle of Maumee. William Henry Harrison was in 1797 pro- 
moted to the rank of Captain. Soon thereafter he resigned 
and was appointed Secretary of the North-west Territorv. 



PIONEER HISTORY OF INDIANA. 241 

The two Indians, Tecumseh and the Prophet, were so 
directly linked with the name of William Henry Harrison in 
the history of the Northwest and Indiana Territory and its 
records, that in writing: of the events that become history 
from 1808 to 1811, they must appear in all the records. 

In 1800 the Indiana Territory was formed, then includ- 
ing- the present states of Indiana, Illinois, Wisconsin, Michi- 
gan, and that part of Minnesota east of the Mississippi river, 
leaving the state of Ohio out as it was then preparing- to 
form a state government. That same year William Henry- 
Harrison was made Governor and General John Gibson was 
made Secretary of the Territory, while the seat of govern- 
ment was moved to Vincennes. Governor Harrison was very 
active. Through his influence various treaties were made, 
namely: that of August 18th and 24th, 1804. by which all 
the territory of southern Indiana, south of the old Vincennes 
and Clarksville trace was ceded to the United States; the 
treaty of Grousland, August 21st, 1805; the treaty of Ft. 
Wayne, June 7, 1803, and the treaty of Ft. Wayne, September 
30th, 180*^, and the treaty of Vincennes, September 26th, 
1811. These various treaties together with the small strip 
accjuired by the treat}' at Greenville, August 3rd, 1795, covered 
a little more than one third of the State of Indiana. 

For many centuries before the coming of the white man, 
the great Miami nation of Indians owned and controlled all 
the territory that is now the State of Indiana and a large ter- 
ritory on the east and west of it. In the middle of the eight- 
eenth centur}-, the Miami confederation was composed of 
four tribes — the Twightwees, who were the Miamis proper, 
the Weas, the Shockeys, and the Piankashaws. These In- 
dians were all of the Algoncjuin nation. It is claimed that 
at Ft. Wayne, near where the St. Mary's and St. Joseph's 
rivers formed the Maumee river, these Indians had their nat- 
ional capital. This powerful nation owned the largest and 
best hunting grounds of any Indians who ever inhabited the 
United States. The Piankashaws were located in southern 
Indiana on the Wabash and in southern Illinois. The Weas 
TArere located in Central Indiana on the Wabash river to the 



242 



PIONEER HISTORY OF INDIANA. 



INDIANA IN 1611. 




OH 



PIONEER HISTORY OF INDIANA. 243 

north and on its many tributaries and on the Illinois river. 
The Miamis proper were in the central, northern and north- 
eastern Indiana and on the Scioto river in the state of Ohio. 
The Shockeys were scattered over southeastern Indiana and 
along the Miami river, far into Ohio. Other Indian tribes 
asked the Miamis for permission to settle in this vast ter- 
ritor}'. This privileg-e was given to the Pottawattamies, 
Shawnees, Delawaresand Kickapoos. These tribes left their 
former homes and made many settlements and towns over the 
territory that is now Indiana, The Delawares made their set- 
tlements on the waters of the White rivers and their tributaries 
and the Pottawattamies in the northern and northwestern 
Indiana. The Shawnees were located in man^' places in 
southern and western Indiana and near the Ohio river in the 
state of Ohio. The Kickapoos were located at many points 
and were neighbors to all the other tribes who had been 
granted concessions. These Indians were at peace with each 
other for a long period. The tribes that had been permitted 
to have homes in the favored land had prospered and multi- 
plied and after a generation or two had passed, they felt as 
if they were the owners of the land they lived on and were 
ever ready to object to anything the real owners did that 
would in any wav affect them. 

In 1804 the Delawares ceded all the territory south of the 
old Vincennes and Clarksville trace on the Ohio river to the 
United States. This immense territory was very desirabje 
but Governor Harrison knew that the}' were not the owners 
so he got the Piankashaw chiefs who were the real owners, 
to ratify that treaty. Tecuinseh and his brother, the Pro- 
phet, were not born lo an official station but Tecumseh soon 
arose to the most infiueniial position by his great talents. 
These two broihers lived for a time among the Delaware In- 
dians on the waters of the White river in what is now Dela- 
ware county, Indiana, 

Along about 1H()<) they moved to Greenville, Ohio. There 
Elksawatawa took on the role of Prophet, claiming that a 
gift from the Great Spirit had been bestowed upon him so 
that he could tell things which would come to pass. He was 



244 PIONEER HISTORY OF INDIANA. 

a very smart one-eyed rascal. The other eye was put out 
while shooting with a bow, the arrow splitting: on the bow 
string. The Prophet wa's not an ordinary medicine man but 
a moral reformer, making- prophecies on many subjects, being 
his strongest point. He had many disciples who believed in 
him but there were also many "Doubting Thomases." He 
met with a band of surveyors at Greenville and one of them 
in an argument attempted to belittle his pretensions by ask- 
ing him if he had any foreknowledge of the great coming 
eclipse which was to take place at a certain time, giving the 
day and hour. The Prophet told him that of course he did 
but refused to talk further with the surveyor. After the sur- 
veyor had gone he sent his messenger to the Indians in all 
the surrounding country and invited them to come and see 
him at the time when the eclipse of the sun was due. When 
the time came there was an immense concourse of Indians to 
hear the wily savage tell about the heavenly visions which 
he had seen and the revelation of things which were to be. 
He kept up the harangue until just before the time the eclipse 
was to come when he said there were some who were un- 
believers in his teaching and he had called them together to 
convince them that he had Divine power to reveal things 
that were unknown to them. He said that he intended to 
ask the Great Father to put his hand before the sun and 
make the earth dark. When the eclipse commenced to come 
on the Proi)het went into a trance and called on the Great 
Father saying there was those who refused to believe his 
teachings and to convince them that he was not an impostor, 
he asked the Great Father to put his hand over the sun. 
When it began to get dark there was great excitement among 
the Indians and when the eclipse became total they became 
wild and implored the Great Father to take his hand from 
over the sun and restore them to his favor. The Prophet 
called aloud asking that brightness might be restored. 
Tecumseh and the Prophet made all that was possible out of 
this incident. It was told far and near that the Prophet was 
the greatest of all Medicine men — that he could heal the sick, 
destroy witches and have the Great Father darken the sun. 



PIONEER HISTORY OF INDIANA. 245 

Sometime in ISOS the Prophet located a town at the 
junction of the Tij>]>ecanoe river with the Wabash, about one 
hundred and fifty miles up stream from Vincennes. This 
town contained several hundred of the Projdiet's followers 
who claimed to be tillers of the soil and total abstainers from 
the use of whiskey. 

Tecumseh in every way was far above his brother. He 
was a brave, far-seein«f. eloquent man and rose to a hi«^h 
position equal to Pontiac in the northwestern United States. 
The policy of the United States jjovernment had for some 
years been to extinj^uish by treaties the claim the Indians 
had to land lyinjjf in Indiana Territory. Those made by the 
long- and tedious ne4,'-oiations brought the Indians a jjreat 
variety of articles that were of yfreat value to them. 

In conformity with instructions of the President. James 
Madison, (rovernor Harrison at Ft. Wayne, September 30, 
180'), concluded a treaty with the head men and chiefs of the 
Delawares, Pottawattamies, Miamis. Eel River, Kickapoos 
and Wea Indians, by which in consideration of eij^ht thous- 
and and two hundred dollars paid down and annuities amount- 
ing in aggregate to two thousand, three hundred and fifty 
dollars, he obtained the cession of nearly three million acres 
of land extending up the Wabash beyond Terre Haute, below 
the mouth of Raccoon creek, including the middle waters of 
the White rivers. 

Neither Tecumseh, the Prophet nor any of the other In- 
dians who had gathered around their standard, owned or had 
any claim to the land which had been ceded to the United 
States, yet they denounced the Indians, who owMied the land, 
for selling it, threatened them with death and did kill several 
of the parties to the treaty, declaring that the treaty was 
void unless all the tribes should agree to it, and that the land' 
did not belong to any one tribe but to all of them jointly. 
Tecumseh used this argument in his attempts to form a con- 
federation of all the Indians (which, without doubt was in- 
tended to become a great military organization.} In this he 
was encouraged b}' the British at Maiden who were then pre- 
paring a way to have all the Indians for allies in the coming 



246 PIONEER HISORY OP INDIANA. 

war which M-as certain to occur between Great Britain and 
the United States. Tecumseh knew that if the land which 
had been ceded was open for settlement, by the whites, the 
game would be destroyed and the Indians compelled to move 
to more distant hunting- grounds. Tecumseh's determined 
and threatening opposition to the treaties brought all the 
trouble on between Harrison and the Indians. 

In obedience to the conditions of the Ft. Wayne treaty, 
made September 30, 1809, the annuity was to be paid annu- 
ally. In the spring of 1810, the Indians in the Prophet's 
town refused to receive the annuity salt sent them in com- 
pliance with that treaty, insulting the men who had brought 
the salt, calling them "American dogs." This, with many 
other hostile demonstrations, caused Governor Harrison to 
send several messages to Tecumseh and the Prophet. The 
Governor understood that there was danger of an outbreak 
and made every effort to thwart it. Tecumseh sent word b)' 
one of the Governor's messengers that he intended to visit 
him and in August arrived in the vicinity of Vincennes with 
four hundred warriors fully armed. They went into camp 
near the town and there was mudh uneasiness felt at so many 
Indians being in such close proximity. The Governor man- 
aged the affairs so as to prevent a collision between the two 
races but soon after the close of this conference a small de- 
tachment of United States troops under the command of Cap- 
tain Cross was ordered from Newport, Kentucky, to Vincen- 
nes. These troops, together with three companies of Indiana 
Militia Infantry and a company of Dragoons constituted such 
a force that those living in the neighborhood of Vincennes 
would not be in anj- danger from an Indian outbreak. The 
Prophet and his adherents were holding secret conferences 
with the British from their stations on Lake Erie and at Mai- 
den. 

During the winter of 1810-11, there were no serious out- 
breaks but there were many small raids by the Indians and 
counter-raids by the white settlers. General William Clark, 
writing to the war department from St. Louis, on July 3, 
1811, made the following report — "All information received 



PIONEER HISTORY OF INDIANA. 247 

from the Indian country confirms tlie rooted enmit}" of the 
Prophet to the United States and his determination to com- 
mence hostilities as soon as he thinks himself sufficientl)' 
strong;'. His jiarty is increasing): and from the insolence he 
and his party have lately manifested and the violence which 
has lately been committed by his neij^hbors, the Pottawat- 
tamies on our frontiers, I am inclined to believe that the 
crisis is fast api>roachiny:." 

Governor Harrison sent a half-breed Piankashaw Indian, 
whom he rejj^arded as thoroug^hly reliable to the Prophet's 
town, where he (the Indian) had a brother. On his return 
he reported that the Prophet was verv bitter toward the 
Americans and said that the}' had to abandon the Wabash 
lands ceded by the Ft. Wayne treaty or they would kill them 
or drive them out of the country. This sp}' reported that 
Winamac, a Pottawattamie Chief, was the rig^ht hand man 
of the Prophet and that he was very bitter in his denuncia- 
tions of the white people. From another source the Gover- 
nor learned that all the Wabash Indians were on a visit to 
the Indian ag-ent at Maiden; that this agent hadg-iven all the 
Indians presents and that he had never known of one-fourth 
of as many presents being- g-iven at any one time before. 
The same informant examined the share of one warrior and 
found that he had a fine rifle, twenty-five pounds of powder, 
fift)' pounds of lead, three blankets, three strouds of cloth, 
ten shirts, and many other articles. From another source he 
learned that every Indian had been g-iven a good rifle and an 
abundance of ammunition. 

In July, 1811, Governor Harrison wrote the war depart- 
ment that the best means of preventing- war would be to 
move a considerable force up the Wabash and disperse the 
bandits the Prophet had collected around him. During- the 
summer of 1811, the war department received many letters 
from all over the settled portions of the Northwest Territory, 
■telling of the operations of the British in urging- the Indians 
•on to hostilities. In June 1811, Governor Harrison sent Cap- 
tain Walter Wilson to the Prophet's town with the following- 
letter, addressed to Tecumseh and the Prophet: — 



248 PIONEER HISTORY OF INDIANA. 

"Brothers, listen to me. I speak to you about 
matters of importance, both to the white people 
and to yourselves. Open your ears, therefore, and 
attend to what I say. Brothers, this is the third 
year that all the white people in the country have 
been alarmed at your proceeding's. You threaten us 
with war; you invite all tribes to the north and west 
of you to join a^rainst us. Brothers — your warriors 
who have lately been here deny this t)ut I have re- 
ceived information that you intend to murder me 
and then commence a war upon our people. I have 
also received the speech you sent to the Pottawat-" 
tamies and others, to join 3^ou for that purpose, 
but if I had no other evidence of your hostility to 
us your seizing the salt I recently sent up the Wa- 
bash, is sufficient. Brothers — our citizens are al- 
armed and my warriors are preparing themselves, 
not to strike you, but to defend themselves and 
their women and children. You shall not surprise 
us as you expect to do. You are about to under- 
take a very rash act. As a friend, I advise you to 
consider well of it. A little reflection may save a 
great deal of trouble and prevent much mischief. 
It is not yet too late. Brothers — what can be the 
inducement for you to undertake an enterprise w^hen 
there is so little probability of success? Do you 
really think the handful of men you have about 
you are able to contend with the seventeen tires or 
even that (the whole of) all the tribes united could 
contend against the Kentucky iire alone? Broth- 
ers, I am myself of the Long Knife fire. As soon 
as the)' hear m}- voice, you will see them pouring 
forth their swarms of hunting shirt men as numer- 
ous as the mosquitoes on the shores of the Wabash. 
Brothers — take care of their stings. 

Brothers — it is not our wish to hurt you. If 
it were we certainly have the power to do it. Look 
at the number of our warriors- to the east of you, 
above and below the great Miami; to the south, on 
both sides of the Ohio and below you also. You 
are brave men, but what could you do against such 
a multitude? We wish you to live in peace and 
happiness. 

Brothers — the citizens of this country are al- 
armed. Thev must be satisfied that vou have no de- 



PIONEER HISORY OF INDIANA. 24'> 

si^n to do lluMU mischief or they will not lay aside 
their arms. You have also insulted the (iovorn- 
ment by seizinj^: the salt that was intended ft)r 
other tribes. Satisfaction must be yfiven for this 
also. Brothers— you talk of cominjj: to see me at- 
tended by all your younjir men. This must not be. 
If your intentions are g-ood you have no need to 
bring more than a few of your young men with 
vou. I must be plain with you. I will not suffer 
you to come into our settlement with such a force. 

Brothers — if you wish to satisfy us that your in- 
tentions are good, follow the advice I have given 
you before, that is, that one or both of you should 
visit the President of the United Slates and lay your 
grievance before him. He will treat you well, 
listen to what you say and if you can show him 
that you have been injured you will receive jusijco. 
If you will follow my advice in this respect it will 
convince the citizens of this country and myself 
that you have no design to attack them. 

Brothers — with respect to the land which was 
purchased last fall, I can enter into no negotiation 
with you on that subject, the affair is in the hands 
of the President. If you wish to go and see him I 
will supply you with the means. Brothers the per- 
son who delivers you this is one of my war officers. 
He is a man in whom I have entire confidence. 
What he says to you, although it may not be con- 
tained in this i)aper. you may believe comes from 
me. My friend, Tecumseh — the bearer, is a good 
and a brave warrior. I hope you will treat him 
well. You are yourself a warrior and all such 
should have an esteem for each other." 

Captain Wilson, who bore this message to the Prophet's 
town, was received in a friendly manner at that place and 
was treated with i)articular friendship by Tecumseh, who 
sent by him the following reply to the letter by tne Gover- 
nor — "Brother, I give you a few words until I will be with 
you myself, Tecumseh. Brother at Vincennes, I wish you to 
listen, to me while 1 send you a few words and I hope they 
will ease your heart. I know you look on your young men 
and your young women and children with pity to see them so 
much alarmed. Brother, I wish you to examine what you 



:250 PIONEER HISTORY OF INDIANA. 

have from me. I hope it will be a satisfaction to 3'ou if your 
intentions are like mine, to wash away all these bad stories 
that have been circulated. I will be with you myself in eigh- 
teen days from this day. Brother, we cannot say what will 
become of us, as the Great Spirit has the management of us 
at his will. I may be there before the lime and may not be 
there until the da3\ I hope that when we come together all 
these bad tales will be settled. By this, I hope your young 
men, women and children will be easy. I wish you. Brother, 
to let them know when I come to Vincennes and see you all 
will be settled in peace and happiness. Brother, these are 
■only a few words to let you know that I will be with you my- 
self and when I am with 3'ou, I can inform-you better. Broth- 
er, if I iind I can be with you in less time than eighteen days, 
I will send one of my young men before me to let you know 
what time I will be with you." 

On the twenty-seventh of July, 1811, Tecumseh arrived 
at Vincennes. The number of his attendants was about three 
hundred, of whom twenty or thirty were women and children. 
"When he was met about twenty miles from Vincennes by Cap- 
tain Wilson, who delivered a message from the Governor, 
expressing disapprobation of the large number of Indians ap- 
proaching the town, Tecumseh, after some hesitation, said 
he had with him but twenty-four men, and the rest had come 
of their own accord; but that everything should be settled 
to the satisfaction of the Governor on his arrival at Vincen- 
nes. The approach of this large force of Indians cieated 
considerable alarm among the inhabitants of Vincennes and 
on the day of the arrival of Tecumseh, Governor Harrison, 
in adopting various precautionary' measures, reviewed the 
militia of the county, composed of about seven hundred and 
fifty men, who were well armed and he stationed two com- 
panies of militia infantry and a detachment of dragoons on 
the borders of the town. In the course of the interview 
which took place at this time between the Governor and 
Tecumseh, the latter declared that it was not his intention 
to make war against the United States; that he would send 
messengers among the Indians to prevent murders and depre- 



PIONEER HISTORY OF INDIANA. 251 

•dations on the white settlers; that the Indians as well as the 
whites, who had commiited murder, ouj^ht to be forjjfiven; 
that he had set the whites an example of forjj-iveness which 
they ouw-ht to follow; that it was his wish to establish a anion 
among- all the Indian tribes; that the Northern tribes were 
united; that he was going to visit the southern Indians and 
that he would return to the Prophet's town. He said that 
he would on his return from the south, the next spring, visit 
the President of the United States and settle all causes of 
difficulty between the Indians and himself. He said further 
that he hoped that no attempt would be made to make set- 
tlement on the lands which had been sold to the United 
States at the treaty of Ft. Wayne because the Indians wanted 
to keep those lands for hunting grounds. Soon after the 
conference with Governor Harrison had closed, Tecumseh, 
attended by twenty Indians, suddenly took his departure from 
Vincennes, down the Wabash river on his way to the South- 
ern Indians for the purpose of disseminating his views for a 
great Indian confederation among the Creeks, the Chickasaws, 
and Choctaw Indians. 

After Tecumseh departed, the remainder of his followers 
returned to the Prophets's town deeply impressed with the 
martial display of military strength of Harrison's command. 
It cannot be- told with a certainty of its correctness, what 
could have induced Tecumseh to go so far from home for so 
long- a time. He certainly had more faith in Governor Har- 
rison's pacific intentions than Harrison was warranted in 
having- in him or the Prophet or he would not have made 
such a fatal mistake. 

The Prophet kept up his incantations, charms and jug- 
glery, thus increasing his importance and his intiuence with 
his deluded followers. There was a constant increa<;e in his 
numbers. It was said by spies of friendly Indians, which the 
whites had that by the first of September, ISll, the Prophet's 
town had more than twenty-five hundred Indians in it. 

The restless young men among his bands, bent on plun- 
der, crossed into the white settlement in many places, killing- 
the settlers or running off their stock. This became so fre- 



252 PIONEER HISTORY OF INDIANA. 

t|uent that the whole territory was in a constant state of ex- 
citement. 

On the thirty-tirst of July, 1811, a public meeting- of cit- 
izens was held at Vincennes ^6r the purpose of declaring- by 
resolution the danger to which the white inhabitants of the 
Territory of Indiana were exposed on account of the hostil- 
ities of the Indians at the Prophet's town and for requesting 
the President of the United States to issue orders for the 
forcible dispersion of the hostile Indians settled at that place. 
By resolution the following committee was selected to make 
this retiuest — Samuel T. Scott, Alexander Devin, Luke Deck- 
er, Ephriam Jordon, Daniel McClure, Walter Wilson and 
Francis Vigo. 

In a letter dated August third. 1811, addressed to the 
President of the United States, this committee, after making 
the request above referred to, said: 

"In this part of the country, we have not as 3'et 
lost any of our fellow citizens by the Indians, but 
depredations upon the property of those who live 
upon the frontiers and insults to the families that 
are left unprotected, almost daily occur." 

The President as earlv as the seventeenth day of July had 
instructed the Secretary' of War to authorize Governor Harri- 
son to call out the militia of the Territor}' and to attack the 
Prophet and his followers in case circumstances should 
occur which might render such a course necessar_v or expe- 
dient. .The Governor was further authorized at his discre- 
tion, to call into his services the Fourth Regiment of United 
States Infantry, under the command of Colonel John P. Boyd. 

The official instructions which were sent from the Secre- 
tary of War to Governor Harrison at this period were strong- 
ly in favor of preserving pacific relations with the North- 
western Indian tribes by the use of all means consistent with 
the protection of the citizens of the Territory and the main- 
tenance of the rights of the general government of the United 
States. 

Governor Harrison, having determined to erect a new fort 
on the Wabash river, and to break up the assemblage of hos- 



PIONEER HISTORY OF INDIANA. 253 

tile Indians at the Prophet's town, ordered Colonel Boyd's 
refjfiment of infantry to move from the falls of the Ohio to 
Vincennes. at which place the rejfiment of reg^ulars was to 
be re-inforced by the militia of the Territory. 

Upon receiving- from the Secretary of War the instruc- 
tions which have been mentioned, the governor sent by 
special messengers, written speeches, addressed to the several 
Indian tribes of the Indiana Territory, requesting these 
tribes to fuliill the conditions of their treaties with the 
United States, to avoid all acts of hostility toward the white 
settlers and to make an absolute disavowal of union or con- 
nection with the Shawnee Prophet. 

About the twenty-tifth of September, 1811, when the mil- 
itary expedition that had been org-anized by Governor Harri- 
son was nearly ready to move on its way toward the Proph- 
et's town, a deputation of Indians from that town arrived at 
Vincennes. These deputies made strong: professions of peace 
and declared that the Indians would comply with the de- 
mands of the Governor. A few days after these messengers 
arrived at Vincennes, six horses were stolen from white peo- 
ple by small bands of Indians. Three men following the 
trail of the horses to an Indian camp reported that after they 
had obtained possession of the horses they were pursued by 
the Indians, fired upon and compelled to abandon their 
horses and run for their lives. 



MILITARY ORDERS. 

"Headquarters of the Army of 
Indiana Territory, 

Vincennes, Sept. Ih, 1811. 
"The governor of Indiana Territory and com- 
mander-in chief of the militia,.being charged by 
the President of the United States with a military 
expedition, takes command to the troops assigned, 
viz: The detachment of regular troops under the 
command of Col. John P. Boyd, consisting of the 
Fourth U. S. Regiment of Infantry and a company 
of the Rifle Regiment, the present garrison at Ft. 
Knox and the various detachments of Miliiia, In- 



254 PIONEER HISTORY OF INDIANA. 

fantr}' and Drag-oons which have been ordered for 
the service. As the present garrison of Ft. Knox 
is to form a part of Colonel Boyd's command, the 
officers commanding- that post will receive the Col- 
onel's orders. Capt. Piatt of the Second U. S. Reg- 
iment has been appointed Quartermaster for all the 
troops on the expedition and is to be obe5'ed and 
respected as such. Captain Robert Buntin has 
been appointed quartermaster for the militia and is 
to be respected and obe3'ed accordingly. Henry- 
Hurst, Esq. and the Honorable Waller Taylor, Esq. 
have been appointed aide-de-camps to the Com- 
mander in Chief, having the rank of Majors and 
are announced as such. All order;^- coming from 
them in his name, whether in writing or verball3% 
are to be respected and obeyed as if delivered by 
the Commander in Chief in person. Captain Piatt 
is to have the superintendency of persons apper- 
taining to the quartermasters or military agents 
department and the direction of all stores for the 
use of the expedition." 



"Headquarters, Vincennes, September 22, 1811. 

"All of the infantr}' regulars and militia are- 
to be considered as one brigade under the command 
of Col. John P. Boyd, acting Brigadier General. 
Lieutenant Colonel Miller will command the first 
line, composed of the regular troops; Lieutenant 
Colonel Barthalemew ihe second line, composed of 
Militia Infantry. These iwo officers will report to 
and receive their orders from Acting General John 
P. Boyd. The Cavalry will be under the com- 
mand of Major Joseph H. Davis, who will report 
to and receive orders from ihe Commander in Chief. 
Captain S])ire Spencer's company of mounted vol- 
unteers will act as a detached corps and report to 
and receive orders from the Commander in Chief. 
The whole army will parade tomorrow at one 
o'clock. The troops of infantry in two columns. 
The regular troops will form the leading battalion, 
of each column; the militia infantry the rear col- 
umn. Major Davis will place his largest troop of 
dragoons in squadron at open order, one hundred 
and fifty yards in rear of the columns. The third 
troop will be placed in a single line on the right 



PIONEER HISTORY OF INDIANA. 255. 

flank at one hundred and lifty yards from the In- 
fantry and parallel thereto. Captain Spire Spencer's 
company will be formed on the left think in siny:le 
rank and in line parallel to the Infantry at a dis- 
tance of one hundred and fifty yards from the col- 
umn. The army thus formed will be in marchinj^ 
order. The columns will take care to keep their 
distances and their head dressed. When in the 
woods the movements will be reg-ulated by siyfnal 
from the drums. When in open they will be j,'-ov- 
erned by sight. This is to be the order in the line 
of march." 

'"Headquarters, Vincennes, 

September 22, 1811. 
"After Orders: 

"The army being- formed in the order of march 
prescribed by general order of this date, if an at- 
tack should be made on the right flank, the whole 
will face to the right and it will then be in two 
lines parallel to the line of march, the right col- 
umn forming the front line and ihe left the rear. 
Should the attack be made on the left flank, the 
reverse to what is here directed will take place; 
the whole army will face to the left, the left column 
acting as a front line, the right column as a rear 
line. If an attack is made on both flanks at the 
same time, both columns will face outward. To. 
resist an attack in the rear, the same maneuver 
will be performed as is directed for an attack in 
front with this difference only, that the leading 
grand division of each battalion will form by the 
filing up of each man in succession and the second 
grand division by doubling around its front guide 
and displaying to the left. To resist an attack in 
front and rear, the two leading battalions will per- 
form the maneuvre directed for the front attack 
and the two others that which has been last des- 
cribed. 

"In all cases where there is an attack, other 
than a front one, the dragoons and riflemen will 
consider themselves as front, rear, or flank guards, 
according to the situation they may be placed in 
relative to the rest of the army and will perform, 
the duties which those situations respectively re- 
(luire as heretofore directed." 



256 PIONEER HISTORY OF INDIANA. 

The Army Starts for the Prophet's Town. 

The arm)' under the command of Governor Harrison 
moved from Vincennes on the 2f)th of September, 1811 and 
on the third of October, without having- encountered an}- ma- 
terial difficulties on its march, encamped at a point where 
they erected Ft. Harrison. This place of encampment was on 
the eastern bank of the Wabash river, about two miles above 
an old Wea Indian village which stood about two miles above 
where the cit}' of Terre Haute now stands. According- to 
Indian tradition a desperate battle was fought at that place a 
long time ago, between three hundred Illinois warriors and 
an equal number of a tribe belonging to the Iroquois Confed- 
eracy. 

While the army was engaged in building the fort. Gov- 
ernor Harrison received from friendl}' Indians of the Dela- 
ware and Miami tribes, several accounts of the increasing- 
hostilit)' of the Shawnee Prophet and his confederates. 
Four Delawares attended by Mr. Conner as interpreter, vis- 
ited the Governor and reported that a war speech had been 
sent from the Prophet to some of the Delaware chiefs who 
were on their wa)^ to meet Governor Harrison, in compliance 
with a request which they had received from one of his mes- 
sengers. In this speech, according to reports of the Delaware 
chiefs, the Prophet declared that his tomahawk was up 
against the whites and nothing should induce him to take it 
down unless the wrongs of the Indians were redressed — the 
Delawares might do as they pleased. Some of the Delaware 
chiefs visited the Prophet to endeavor to dissuade him from 
adopting such measures of active hostilit}' against the people 
of the United States. 

On the night of October the tenth, a few Indians fired on 
the Sentinels and wounded one. The army was drawn up 
in line of battle and detachments were sent out in all direc- 
tions but the darkness of the night enabled the Indians to 
to get away. The new fort was finished on the twenty- 
eighth of October and by unanimous petition of the officers it 
was named Ft. Harrison. The fort was garrisoned with a 



PIONEER HISTORY OF INDIANA. 257 

jimall num]3er ^f men under tHe, comiTxand of Lieutenant Col- 
onel James Miller, who aftenwarcf at the battle of Niajjara, 
won great renown. (The Bti-tish artillery had taken a posi- 
tion on a commanding emineiioe at-jhe head of Lundy's Lane, 
supported by a line of Infantry out of reach of the American 
batteries. jThis was the kex.to the whole position and thence 
they poured a most deadly ^re on the American ranks. It 
became necessary either ta. leave the ground or to carry this 
position and seize ihe height. The latter desperate task was 
assigned to Colonel Miller. On receiving the order from 
General Brown he cj^lmly surveyed the position and answered 
— "I will try, Sir." He did try and captured the battery and 
position an.d his expression "I will try, Sir" afterward be- 
came the motto of his Regiment.) ; 

Everything being in readiness, G.overnor Harrison's army 
moved from the new fort on Oc^fher tha^lwenty-ninth, to- 
ward the Prophet's town. On, the thirty-first of October, 
soon after passing Big Raccoonxreek, <l}.Q^^Tmy crossed the 
Wabash river at a point near tfte" ptace where the town" of 
Montezuma in Park county, now s^'aiids. .- At this time the 
force of the expedition amoutited to nine/ hundred" men, com- 
posed of two hundred and ^ftfty regular troops, about one 
hundred volunteers frora^entucky and' six hundred citizens 
of the Indiana Territory. The droops on horse back consist- 
ed of light dragoon^,.- amounting to two hundred and seventy- 
five men; bu| few of the men had ever beennn battle. 

On the secOnd of November the arpiy w'is encamped at a 
point about two miles below the mouth of the Big Vermilion 
river. A blAck houVie tw'erity-fiv-e'ieet square was built on 
the western bank of the Wabash on a small prairie. A Ser- 
geant and eight" men wen? stationed in the block house ^o 
protect the boats, which up to this point nad beerfused in the 
transportation of supplies for the exf)'trditl6"n'."''"The Delaware 
chiefs which Harrison had sent to the Prophet's town came 
into this camp and reported that they were badly treated and 
insulted and finally dismissed with the most contemptuous 
remarks upon them and the white people. The party that 
fired on the sentinels arrived at the Prophet's town while the 



258 



PIONEER HISTORY OF INDIANA. 




Map of Vicinity of Tippecanoe Battle Field Showing Line of March on 
November 6, 181 1. 



PIONEER HISTORY OF INDIANA. 259 

Delaware chiefs were there — they were Shawnees and the 
Prophet's nearest friends. 

On the third of November the army resumed its march 
and keepinjjf its course throuj^h the prairie at some distance 
from the Wabash river it came in view of the Prophet's town 
on the afternoon of the sixth of November. During the 
march all this day small i)arties of Indians were seen hover- 
ing- about the army and the interpreters made several unsuc- 
cessful attempts to have a conference with them. On reach- 
ing- a point about one mile and a half from the town, the 
army halted. Governor Harrison directed Captain Dubois of 
the spies to go forward with an interpreter and request a con- 
ference with the Prophet. 

As Captain Dubois proceeded to execute his orders, he 
met several Indians to whom he spoke in a friendlj' manner. 
The}' refused to speak to him but by motion urged him to go 
forward and seemed to be endeavoring to cut him off from 
the main army. 

On being informed of this apparently hostile manifesta- 
tion on the part of the Indians, Governor Harrison dispatch- 
ed a messenger to recall Captain Dubois. Soon after the re- 
turn of that officer the whole army in order of battle began 
to move toward the town, the interpreters having been placed 
in front with orders to invite a conference with the Indians. 
The following particulars concerning the actions of the In- 
dians as the army was approaching the Prophet's town are 
taken from a letter Governor Harrison wrote to the Secretary 
of War, November ]fS, 1811: 

"We had not advanced more than four hun- 
dred yards when I was informed that three Indians 
had approached the advance guards and had ex- 
pressed a wish lo speak to me. I found upon their 
arrival that one of them was a man in great esti- 
mation with the Prophet. He informed me that 
the chiefs were much surprised at my advance upon 
them so rapidly; that they were given to under- 
stand by the Delawares and Miamis, whom I had 
sent to them a few days before that I would not 
advance to their town until I had received an ans- 



260 PIONEER HISTORY OF INDIANA. 

^,-1 --V •■ : , , v.- -..^t,, 
wer to m.v demands made through them;. that th|s^ 
answer had been dispatched by the Pottawattamie' 
chief, -Winrfmac, whohyd^icCompdrfled'the Mii'rtii^- 
and Delawares .on .their reitupn? that' they -had kft 
the. Prophet's, to^^^fi two (Jay;?; befpreifwith a- .desig-iii , 
to meet me but unfprtunajtely^t\iey.had^tak,en th^, . 
road on the southeastern side of the Wabash. ^^ 

•'^I ans'Wei'ed that I Haid H6 intenfion of attaclf- ' 
ing- them until I discoX'er^d^'t'hey" w6u1d nBt"Compl*y ''' - 
with the 4Gmand« whieh ■! had; matde; that I would: 
g-o on, And,,encftmp-at-,thp, .Wabashj^n4.in the> morn-- 
ing. would have an in,terv^eWjjWi,l,l],th£ l:^ro.ph,et i^p,d 
his chiefs and explain to' tliem the determination 
of the President and that in the nieantinie no hos- 
tilities should be committed. He seerhi^d" hiuch' 
pleased with this and -promised' that it shdiaid be ' 
observed OA th^ir part. I theri resumed my: march. . 

"We struck the .cu^ltiyated grounds, abpyt live, , 
hundred yards above the town biit as this extended 
to the bank of the Wabash there was no possibility 
of getting an encampment which was provided' 
with .both -water and wood. •j-My guides' and inter- - 
preters being stjlj-with thieia^.vanceguard and ta-k- - 
ing the directions of, the^tq]^jn. the ^anny foUpwed , 
and had advanced within about one hundred and 
fifty ya'rdi>, when ^lifiy of' sixty "Indians sallied out 
and 'with loud ■ exclartiatforis; "ck-ll^'d 16 the 'ca'valr}'" ' 
and to the4Tiilitia Infantryiwhioh-wier^on the rig'ht 
flank... ^o halt,, r. ;'.r~.n^ -icu, r* >'- -• - -' - •■ - ---i .^' 

"I immediately advanced, tot^e, front,, caused 
the army to halt and directed an interpreter to re- 
quest some of the chiefs to cOme to me. ' In a few 
moments the man who had been with me before 
made his appearance. I informed ^^hi.m th^t ipy^ 
object for the present was to procure a goo^ ..piece 
of ground to camp on, where we' CQula get' y^^opji 
and water. He informed rhe "that there wals.'a 
creek to the northwest which ^he jhq'ugJ^t wouhj 
suit our purpose. "I immediately dispatched," tWi9 
officers, Major' Maston O. '(ilark and'^Major.^Wfiller 
Taylor to examine it. They reported "t'fie i^'iiuaiijO^ 
as excellent. I th'en' took ^leave of the ^h,ief and 
mutual promises were again mac\e for the sus,pej^!^ 
sion of hostilities until we could have an interview 
on the following day. 



PIONEER HISTORY OF INDIANA. 261 

"I found the ground destined for the encamp- 
ment not altoj2:ether such as I could wish it. It 
was indeed admirably calculated for the encamp- 
ment of reyfular troops that were opposed to regu- 
lars but it afforded a grjeat facility to Uit' ajipro.ach 
of Savaijes. It was a piece of dry oak.land, ^ising• 
about ten feet above the level pf a marshy,..prairie 
in front toward the Prophet's town an4lnearly twice 
flfat hij^h above jL nimij^r prairie m the ttear, throUy^h 
wliich afnd ne^r to. j[Jus_]2ij.nk jan a !>5iairstream, 
-"Clothed With willow^and other brush\f6bd. "Toward 

"l];ie'^eft tl^nk Jthls" b'ench,Juf'lan(rAv1detljbd consider- 
ably but became j^radualh' narrower ii^be opposite 
dir^ctien and at a distance of oge huoJlTed .iTid tifty 

'Yards fri^n th^-rijfb.t flank terij^inateAln a.n abrupt 

^^j '.'Owin^T.to t-:h.e conditions -lulToimdini^ this fen- 
c^mpm^^nt it was possibty Aot ^^/suit^ble as desired 
but.,-in jail 'tlje rej|-ions suT}rjO;un4ttig; it there was'no 
other plai;^ so g'opd. ^ The niglits at thvi't season of 

"the year were cold and only the Reg^ulars had'tents. 
Large %es had to be made to procure any dejj^ree of 
coxnfort. -7T]jese tires wfere built in front of the line 
occupied by each portion of the Comrman^Uas it laj' 
in-campi. The lijjht of the-fipes^ at j;be_outbreak of 
the bafetl^ caused s&me Iqss arnong^'the soldiers but 
thiji.risk had. to be.ytaken^fcr withoiit the lires thiere 
would have' been -rifuch su^eringf. They were ex- 
tinguished at the tii'^t on^t."" /• ' 



J Some militar,3\.^wr4ters want to criticize Governor Harri- 
son for-not haviffg-'breast-wferks. 'l^e meets this charge by 
the statement that he had a+1 th^e avxeij Jt was possible to get 
in the Territory, anil then hadj^ss than enough for the men 
to prepare wood for t^e 1ir^$ -that -evening. The army en- 
camped in order of battle., ^he i»en were instructed to sleep 
with their cloflies and accountnementii-on, with, -their fire 
arras loaded and bayonets fixed and each that form- 

ed the interior lin^e of th-e encampment was ordered, in case 
of an attack, to hold its own ground until relieved. 

Two columns of infantry occupied the front and rear of 
the encampment ground, at the distance of about one hun- 



262 



PIONEER HISTORY OF INDIANA. 




Map of Tippecanoe Battle Pield Showing Harri$on's Camp on Everting of "Naveaiber 6. 
(From Beard's "Battle of Tippecanoe. " ) 



PIONEER HISTORY OF INDIANA. 263 

•dred and fifty yards from each other on the left flank and 
something- more than half that distance on the right flank. 
The left flank was filled up with two companies of mounted 
riflemen amounting to about one hundred and twenty men 
under the command of Major General Wells of the Kentucky 
Militia. The rig-ht flank was filled up b}' Captain Spire 
Spencer's company of mounted riflemen consisting of about 
eighty men. The front line was composed of one battalion 
of U. S. Infantry under the command of Major Floyd flanked 
on the right by two companies of Militia and on the left by 
one company. The rear line was composed of a battalion of 
United States troops under the command of Captain Bean, 
acting- as Major and four companies of Militia Infantry un- 
der the command of Lieutenant Colonel Decker. 

The regfular troops on the rear line joined the mounted 
riflemen under General Wells on the left flank and Colonel 
Decker's Battalion formed an ang-le with Captain Spire 
Spencer's company on the right flank. Two troops of 
dragoons amounting to about sixt)' men, were encamped in 
the rear of the left flank and Captain Park's troop of dragoons, 
which was larg-er than the other two, was encamped in rear 
of the front line. The Dragoons were directed, in case of an 
attack, to parade dismounted with their pistols in their belts 
and act as a corps-de-reserve. 

THE BATTLE OF TIPPECANOE. 

Governor Harrison was perfectl)^ convined of the hostility 
of the Prophet. He believed that the Indians intended to 
attack him by treachery after first lulling his suspicions by 
a pretended treaty, which had indeed been the orig-inal inten- 
tion. No one anticipated an attack that night, yet every 
precaution was taken to resist one if made. All the guards 
that could be used in such a situation and such precautions 
as was used by General Wayne were employed on this occa- 
sion; that is, camp guards furnishing- a chain of sentinels 
around the whole camp, were placed at such distances as to 
give notice of the approach of an enemy in time for the troops 
to take their position and yet not far enough away to prevent 



264 PIONEER HISTORY OF INDIANA. 

the sentinels from retreating: to the main body if overpower- 
ed. The usual mode l»f crvilWed Ai^arfare of stationing- picket 
guards at a considerable distance in advance of the army, 
wottVd be- uselessl^in Indian ■'warfare' as they'did'not require 

-roa-ds to -march upotl -Slfid' 'siich' 'giiat'ds' wdtild" always have 

•been cut- off.- Ord^r<^ V^^r^ glK^h in the-ereht 6f an attack for 

•each corps^to maintain its' pOsitieri 'at all'' hazards until re- 
lieved- 6r furthef •ordfer'^'wet^ jfiv'^H tdit;' The whole army 
was- kept 'during' 'the'riight^^lyii^'i 6n fheir arms." "The re- 

^gular* troops lay i"*! their "t^^^tfe Witli th'ei'i^ 'accoutrements and 
Iheir arms by their side*. Th^ -tailitla had no tents but slept 

^wi-th fheir clot*heSand"poUchesbn arid their'guris under them 
to keep them' d^y.'' -'fT '•"•f '-'"■ "•- 

■ — The- order of the enc'a'M'pm^t wa^ th^ofdef'^f battle for 
a night attack ^and as every'taari sJepf o^^posite Ms post in 

■the'line thirfe'was nothing- for the ^troo^ii^ to db'iri'ca'se of an 
assault,- btit -rise' and take i5osil'ion k few"'st^^s in tear" of the 
line- of fire, around "which the}'' hid VetJOsed; The g-uards of 
the- nig-ht consisted of t\V6 Gapta'ih's* corhiTian(ls''of"fot-ty-two 
men and fdur non-commissibn-ed'offideT^'eath and' two subalt- 
ern guards of 'twent)>^"ni'efl an<J n'on-corrimfssloned'ofcc^rs each; 
the whole; -amounti'ng tb about' ohe huridre'd ^h'd thirty men. 
under the 'com'maud 'of a field 'officer ofthe dciy. ' ' 

• The night was dkrk' dnd'tloudy ah'ddfter-midrii^Ht there 
was a drizzling rain. At four o-cldck irt'the morning- of the 
seventh, Governor Ha-rr-ison, -a<:cerding to practice had risen, 
preparatory to the calling- up of the troops and was eng-aged, 
while drawing- oji his bo^ts.by the firp, in conversation with 
General Wells, Col. Owen and Majors Taylor and Hurst. 

'The orderly drummer" had been roused for th^ purpose of 
giVlhg the signal for the' troops to ^iirn'out', when tj^e attack 
of the Irtdiahy suddenly commenced upon the left flank ofthe 
camp. 1 he whole army was instantly on its feet and the 
cariip "fifes extinguished. '^Tiie Governor mounted his horse 
and proceeded {6 the' point of at'tacic! Several of the com- 
panies 'had taken "th>ir "places iii line within forty seconds 
from the feport'o? thV first' g-uii aricl 'flie entire army was pre- 

' pared for "action in less 'ftian' two rhinutes, a fact as creditable 



PIONEER HISORY OF INDIANA. 26S 

to their own activity and bravery as to the skill and energy 
of their officers. The battle soon became general and was 
mainta^ined jan both sidesjfwith bravery and ^eVen desperate 
valor. The Indians advai&ed and retre'a^ed bV the aid of a 
rattling noise ^maae w'itH dri€(l. deer 'hoofs, ^'iinj^i.preserved in 
their', tfeacherowt; at.tac^. an ^.pparitjn^ 4?ter;nination to con- 
quer of- die upon the JM)otJ ■ i bdibaitJeragedrwith unabat- 
ing fury and -muluai s^'^tig'bter Uniil' d-aylight' when a gallant 
and successful charge Of'the' trobp^''iir8've'the Indians into, 
the swamp and put ar^ en'd to the conflict., ,'., ^^ 



'*Governx)r Harrison says in his-official report — 
' ■ "In the courseof a'feiv fninute'^^' after "t'he coni- 
mencemeht of th'e attack, tht^ 'fire ektert<?e<l along 
the left flank,- the Wholie of the'fronY,'-thfe right 
flank and the. rear line. ''j'^' ;"'•' f^^'^i""' ' 

Upon Spencer's mbuiited' rffl^rtie'ri Jtnd'tlie right 
of ■ Warrick's 'company which was' posted on the 
right of the rear lirie' it was excess-ivery severe. 
Captain Spire Spencer and ^'his first "artd^second 
Lieutenants were killed and Captain'Warrick mort- 
ally wounded. ; These cOmpianiesi howe\'errbravely 
nlairltained theirtpost, h\x\ Spencer 'haVih'g' suffered 
so, severely and hdA-ing origirfall3^~tbo m'tith'ground 
to occupy, I reinforced them Vv'ith Captain'Robb's 

[company of riflemetr which' had be'en ordered by 
mistake froin their" position 'in'"the left ffink and 
filled the vacandy 'which 4iad' beeii" occupied by 

'Robb, with Pre'scott's c6mpiiny of 'the'Fduril'i U. S. 
Reginient.' My gVeat' object Was f6 'ktfep the lines 
erttife to "prevent the eneiny'fr'oiil' bfeikihg into 
camp.'until daylight ' should ' ^nabl'^ hie 'tb make a 
g'eneral , and* effectual charge. Wi'th this'- View I 
hafl reinforced everyiKtrt of 'the li'riethaf hid suf- 
fered much.* and 'assodh as thV'i^prOkC'h''oF^morn- 
ing discovered itseH",^I 'withdr(J'w f rbm ' tTii' front 
line'Sfi'eTling's, Posi-y^ f tuider Lieut; A-rbfii^Ht) and 
Scott's cbmpafiies'and'from ttfe teaf'l?h-e Wilson's 
companies aVid drew themiip'on the'lli^ft'flaiik. At 
tl\e sanie tim^ I OTden^dCOok'artd'B^a'rt'sCoi'npanies, 
the former -iroih" the' reur'Vi'n^ ^afitt'the-lMtH from 
the front lirfe, to Vcinf-OTCe'fh^'rig'h'f'flato,^ f<^esee- 



266 PIONEER HISTORY OF INDIANA. 

ing that at this point the enemy would make their 
last stand. 

Major Wells, who commanded on the left flank, 
not knowing my intentions had taken command of 
these companies and charged the enemy before I 
had formed the body of Dragoons with which I 
meant to support the Infantry. A small detach- 
ment of these were ready, however, and proved 
amply sufficient for the purpose. The Indians were 
driven by the Infantry at the point of the bayonet 
and the Dragoons pursued and forced them into a 
marsh where they could not follow. Captain Cook 
and Lieutenant Larrabee had,- agreeable to my 
orders, marched their companies by the right flank 
and formed them under the fire of the enemy and 
being then joined by the riflemen of that flank, had 
charged the Indians, killed a number, and put the 
rest to precipitate flight. 

All of the Infantry formed a small brigade un- 
der the immediate orders of Colonel Boyd. The 
Colonel throughout the action, manifested equal 
2eal and brsfvery in carrying into execution my 
orders; in keeping the men to their post and ex- 
horting them to fight with valor. His Brigade 
Major, Clark and his aide-de-camp George- Croghan 
were also ver}- serviceably employed. 

Colonel Joseph Bartholomew a very valuable 
officer, commanded under Colonel Boyd, the Militia 
Infantry. He was wounded earl}' in the action and 
his service was lost to me. Major G. R. C. Floyd 
the senior officer of the Fourth U. S. Regiment, 
commanded immediately the battalion of the regi- 
ment which was in the front line. His conduct 
during the action was entirely to my satisfaction. 
Lieutenant Colonel Decker, who commanded the bat- 
talion of Militia on the right of the rear line, pre- 
served his command in good order. I have before 
mentioned to you that Major General Wells of the 
fourth division of Kentucky Militia, acted under 
my command as Major at the head of two com- 
panies of mounted volunteers. The General main- 
tained the fame which he had already acquired in 
almost every campaign and in almost every battle 
which had been fought with the Indians since the 
settlement of Kentucky. 



PIONEER HISTORY OF INDIANA. 267 

Of the several corps, the Fourth U. S. Regfi- 
ment and the two small companies attached to it, 
were very conspicuous for undaunted valor. 

The companies commanded by Captains Cook, 
Snelling: and Barton, Lieutenants Larrabt?e, Peters 
and Hawkins were placed in situations where they 
could render eminent service and encounter g^reat 
dang-er and these officers greatly distinguished 
themselves. 

Captains Prescott and Brown performed their 
duty entirel)' to my satisfaction as did Posey's com- 
pany of the Seventh Regiment headed by Lieuten- 
ant Albright. In short, Sir, they supported the 
fame of the American soldier and I have never 
found that a single individual was out of the line 
of duty. Several of the Militia companies were in 
no way inferior to the Regulars. Spencer's, 
Guiger's, and Warrick's maintained their post 
amidst a monstrous carnag^e as also did Robb's 
which was posted on the left flank, and had seven- 
teen men killed and wounded. Wilson's and Scott's 
companies charged with the regular troops and pro- 
ved themselves worthy of doing so. Norris' com- 
pany also behaved well. Hargrove's and Wilkins' 
companies were placed in a situation where they 
had no opportunities of distinguishing themselves 
or I am satisfied they would have done so. This 
was also the case of the squadron of Dragoons. 

After Major J. H. Davis had received his wound, 
knowing it to be fatal, I promoted to the Majority, 
Captain Park, than whom there is no better officer. 

My aide-de-camps. Majors Hurst and Taylor, 
with Lieutenant Adams of the Fourth Regiment, 
and the Adjutant of the troops afforded me the 
most essential aid as well in action as throughout 
the campaign. The arrangements of Captain 
Piatt, in the Quartermaster's department were 
highly judicious and his exertions on all occasions, 
particularly in bringing: off the wounded, deserves 
my warmest thanks. 

But in giving praise to the living, let me not 
forget the gallant dead. Colonel Abraham Owens 
joined me a few days before the action as a private 
in Captain Guiger's company. He accepted the ap- 
pointment of volunteer aide-de-camp to me. He 



268 PIONKER HISORY OF INDIANA. 

fell early in the action. The representatives of his- 
statf will i'lf^ifP X014 t)iaf.;ih^e po,ss?S!jed not a bet- 
ter citizen.' nor ^.braj ex. man. ^ ,, J ^ J -.... 

' ^'l'ajor^oj^?,p,lp -H. ,r>aKi« Wfiji^^v^ll .ki>o,w;i as an 
abl^ la^r'^n^.V S^^^ox^U^X- .M^ jojned me as a 
private v;olui;iJteei;/^;id pfi^ t^e rec^ommeMa lions of 
the officefs ,9^,!" t^:!tj'e9rpi^,,.AYxi^., appointed .to com- 
mand 'ti?e . tijre.e uoops ,of,,pr^gpqt^^, His .conduct 

Tn.J^^t cap?icit>- jp^itiAed -Vh^iv choice., ^,;^eyer was. 

^tiiere an 'officer' possessed of more ardor un4 zeal to 
discharge l;is,flaifp,s wj[t)a proprie^ty a.n.d never one 

,'who w^uMjei^99u;^ter.jippr.^ danger t9 purch,ase mil- 
itary (fame. [ , ,.,„ ... n j: 1.. :. .' v. :■ ,1. i 
' Captain Bean pf t"he,Foui-th U.^S. Regiment was 
killed •ej\|;\yin^, the actiqij-Trhe was upquestionably 

4 good officer a,^d a valiant, soldier. 

^ . Qap.tfiins■.Si,encerJ^njd'^a^ric;k and.lvieatenants 

"Mi\iahein'an(i^erryjwer,e all,my particular friends. 
l ■hav(^'alway,s'^had 'tl?e .i^tpiost confidence in their 

^"v'^lor and wj^s not ..defeiy^d. <v^ptain,3pencer was' 
\jiroun,d,e^l' i^l/. th^'Waf^. ! P^ e.xhorted his. men to 

-.%ht va^^,nLly. . Jfie^^ajS s^ot, through both thighs 

'and fel,i^tii],contin,uing;tpenc.Qut-.ag,e them. He was 

. raised up^ ancj, . rec,t;ivpd., .a , beill, .thr.Qugh .his body 
W;h)cli, put' an .iaijmediatf end, to hi:^ existence._ Cap- 
tain 'War/icV, , was , s?hpt , imra.edi?itely..,. through the 

,"body ..aji^ tak'enj".to'the .54rgei;y.,tpjbe,4.re.ss.ed. As 

"soon as, it,,.^;^s,jay.er, bjii^g.-a ,n>an 9^ great bodily 
vig'pr. aridV^'ble^ to walV,. ihe.^ijisiste4 pnigoing back 
to the U^ad-9V,iii"s. company, ,.a^ it was evi- 

dent^^tl^at.he. ||ad^ but'.'a jey hpprii to li.ve.'.', , . 

The. .-rlosii lOf i t.hiB i ar.iny;;jun.deB;. Governor- Harrison was 
thirtrj^^veH'-killed^^ in action and f one' ^ hundred knd fifty-one 
wounded.'' ■ TWentv-'five ^6f this 'i^umbeV died ' afterward of 
their wotinds. ' T'he' l6s"s of thie Injglians' was serious but as 
they Wjie'd,.9ili^1,h'qir.wpi^ed,:^|-p^ i5,$ld dviring the bat- 

tle and their woiii?Wi ajnd'Ojdi-men wer* buryingtheir dead dur- 
ing th^ battle 'i-t was ti seed" ti^rajwertain. ' Accordittg to one re- 
port they left thirty-eight dead on ttfefi^id' arid 'six more dead 
were found whe^ tMi^ir t3wu wag'burlied. 'the' next da)'. Major 
Genej-al \YjeUs^pf ,Ken^ilckyMy|iPit09k sW^hi a l.^gid^ng part in 
that .^ghtr saifjj tiQ a, frie^n^jth^t-a^ter. the-bsttle-he counted 
I'l •j-T.y voi>- r-jit. T.uwv t'j .r^j ij"... -, 



•-'. rrj 71 rr. Vj jT3Ili >*^ ^ 

PIONEER HISTORY OF INDIANA. 2(»9 

forty-tive new graves near the town and that there weretiftV-' 
four dead In'dians left on'the 'g^roufid.^' Art Ihd'kn t\^otnan'cap- 
tured said -tlikt drte- hundred and niHety-^S^Vert' Irt^ia'ris were 
missinyf. From the TecTiless'exitosUrieM 'fheir p^ersons diTrilrg-' 
the battle, they mtisf have met- ^^rithaheavyioSsi- " :• ' '■'" 

The Indians wer^ undei* the imrfted'iat^'tomrhan'd'of three" 
darinjr chiefs—White'' Looh; 'Stone EJaft^fva+id Wina-m&c, a' 
Pottawattamie who' was killed the -rieXt November by 'Logman 
the Shawnee' scouts ■""' ' •■'/.;•.. ^ nr . '.r ' -/. • - '••' 

The Prophet- ha-d 'g:iven assikraftc^e -'to liisi dtl tided' ¥61 low- 
ers that the bullets-of the' Artiericaftsf^'Would' 'fall to^'the' 
g-round. that their- powder would turn to' Sand. 'Taking- ■ hf«> 
position as- Comriiander in Chief' ort an 'eminence, 'som^ dis- 
tance away, (perhaps not 'willin^^ tffe "rifek his own -person tCf 
the protection of his> propheciies^'ag-afJttst the real American 
bullets,) he commenced the' performaricei'o'f rtiy$ti\^ rites at the 
same time singring^in his clear, loiid vMce" i- wdT ^ortg-: Dtit- 
ing- the battle' the Indians told hihi their "p^dple' were being- 
killed. He urged them to tight on saying 'it wOtild's<!>6n be 
over and no more wouM be huTti • ' ' •<-i'->^''-' ' ^-" -"^ -" ' "" 

After the battle, 'the fleeing I^dian^^•t^pbrtii'ded Him'^fof 
his duplicity. He, as' of- old, laid' it' Oh the woinen, sayikg 
that his wife-must have tbuch'ed'hife charmSi^" ^""-'^ -'^'^ ' '" 

It has never been definitely khoWrt hdw ftikn/ Iildia-h^ 
there were in the' battle Init after gatheri'n^ from all source^" 
the best informatiori that could be- syfeiired-,' it 'was thought 
the two armies had' about the «ame number of meti on the 
field. The Prophet's forces were gathered from the Sha wnees; 
Ottawas, Chippewas, Pottawattamies; Wyci'ridotiJ, Ki'ckipbOs^ 
Winnebagoes and Sacs. Immediately ' aftef their defeat'the 
surviving Indians' went back to th^f V-UribU^ rrit)es, denouilt- 
ing the Prophet. His toWn which; iotitUiht^d a l^rg'e arrtbuti't 
of corn, was found and "this with bilie'r' prdvis"ibhs wa<; des- 
troyed. Evidence of tlie British 'dtyplichy '^W-as al;4o foUttid: 
Several rifles -which had been sent 'from Maiden ^efefUiitld 
that had not 1)een unwrapped. '/o. ■> ' '-in; ' .<< 

Governor Harrison, on the 'tighiH buried hiv< dead and 
burned log heaps over their graves, but the Indians after- 



270 PIONEER HISTORY OF INDIANA. 

ward dug: them up hunting for trinkets and stripped them of 
their clothing-. 

On the ninth of November the arm}' moved from their 
encampment over the route they had marched to the Prophet's 
town. The wounded were hauled in wagons, drawn b}^ oxen. 
The officers' camp chests, tents, and ever3'thing that could be 
spared will burned so that room could be made for them. 
There was much suffering until they arrived at the blockhouse 
below the Vermilion river. The wounded were then put on 
boats and conve3'ed to Vincennes. Leaving Captain Snelling 
with his company of regulars at Ft, Harrison, the army con- 
tinued its march toward Vincennes where it arrived on the 
eighteenth of November, 1811. The troops from Kentucky 
and those from the south-eastern part of Indiana Territory 
were discharged on the nineteenth of November. 

Governor Harrison was continually exposed during the 
action but escaped without injury. A bullet passed through 
his stock or cravat and grazed his neck. The enemies of 
Harrison afterward charged that Colonel Abraham Owens 
was killed through Harrison's fault. They claimed that at the 
beginning of the action, Owens, on a large white horse, rode 
with Harrison to the point of attack and soon afterward was 
killed and they charged that he changed horses with Owens. 
The fact was the Governor took a dark colored horse, the 
first one he could lay his hands on after his own white horse 
had broken loose and run away and the horse that Colonel 
Owens rode on was brought from Kentucky with him. 

Another charge was that the Governor was responsible 
for the death of Colonel Joseph H. Davis, it being claimed 
that he had ordered him into the charge before his men were 
in shape to make it. This was not true in any sense. Colo- 
nel Davis was a very resolute man and when he obtained per- 
mission he rushed forward leading his men without having a 
sufficient force to protect his flanks. The Indians attacked 
him on the flank and Colonel Davis was killed, being a very 
conspicuous mark as he wore a white wool overcoat. Another 
very foolish charge against the Governor was that the In- 
dians selected his camp for him. The truth was that the 



PIONEER HISTORY OF INDIANA. 271 

camp he occupied was the only place suitable for an encamp- 
ment of his forces for several miles around. P^ortunately 
these charges were only believed by a few. 

The Territorial Legislature was in session when the 
army returned to Vincennes. There was great rejoicing 
among the citizens that the Indians had been defeated and 
that the Prophet's town and provisions had been burned and 
destroyed. His confederated bands of Indians, having lost 
faith in the Prophet's fallacies, went back to their different 
tribes. The Prophet, a fugitive, took up his residence among^ 
the Hurons. 

The Territorial Legislature adopted the following pre- 
amble and resolutions on the eighteenth of November: 

"Whereas, The services of His Excellency, 
Governor Harrison, in conducting the army, the 
gallant defence made by the heroes under his im- 
mediate command and the fortunate result of the 
battle fought with the Confederacy of the Shawnee 
Prophet near Tippecanoe on the morning of 
the seventh of November, highly deserves the 
congratulations of every true friend to the interest 
of this Territor}- and the cause of humanit}' — 

"Resolved Therefore, that the members of 
Legislative Council and House of Representatives 
will wait upon His Excellency the Governor, as he 
returns to Vincennes, and in their own name and 
of those of their constituents, welcome him home. 

"And that General W. Johnson be, and is here- 
p)' appointed a committee to make the same known 
to the Governor, at the head of the army, should 
not unforeseen causes prevent." 



At this period there were a few members of the Ter- 
ritorial Legislature and quite a number of the citizens who 
were inclined to award Colonel Boyd and his small regiment 
of regular troops the hoqor of saving the army from defeat 
and destruction at the battle of Tippecanoe. Among this 
class of citizens were some who were known as the avowed 
enemies of Governor Harrison and who steadily opposed his 
administration of Territorial government, especially his pol- 



•272 PIONEER HISTORY OF INDIANA. 

U-..'i'-T'.H !ri;;':rj -"Jii- i > -"^ f- ■•■•■• '- --' —- 
icy in makinjj: Indian treatiei>\ ^Coiotiel -Boyd could -no't h^lp-but 
feel indijrnant that tjaalieeand em-y w©uJd kadv people- to such 
lengths in ibeifr opiw-siiion tosucGestsful rivals. -The action of 
these people -d.warf^d tt'h«' great-- achievetnents-ihat had -been 
accomplished byrthe small hsroi'C'armyi His..reg-'iraent did its 
full duty and .was abU' seconded by three -times its n-umber- 
of militia. of.. Indiana! -aadaKentttoky. - H>e knefw that ther-e 
were no shirk^^tbat eviery man of 'that army acqilitt-ed him- 
self honorably. The Legislature, in its attempt to ignor-e 
the militia and give the regular troops the praise for the vic- 
tory, belittled th^mJielveS'and placed a .cloud Over the-re'^ular 
troops by attempting to-aw^rd them, aja.,uniTierite;dr, compli- 



ment. 



r,. v. -.- --^^r< 



The following; joint address. tof the two Houses of the 
Territorial Legisilature was delivered to Gdyernor Hcirrison 
on the fifth of Decfe'rtib'er,''1811. ■ Thife a'ddress which was pre- 
pared by the Legislative Council was_ adopted in the House 
>of Representatives l^^j^a.vQtc of four tp three. 

To His Excellency/ William Henry Hj^rrison, 

Governor and 'ddnitri'aiidie'i^'-iW-Ch'ief in and'-over the 

■-■■:, J. INDIANA' TeRRITORV. - 

When in; the' cpurse/ of human;;events, it be- 
comes necessary for a nation to unsheat,li the s^word 
, in defense of any portion of its citizen and any in- 
dividual of society "becomes intrusted with, th^ im- 
portant charge of leading the army of his country 
into the field, to scourge the assaifants of its rights, 
and it is proved by the success of their arms that 
the individual ^,posxess,es .s^j^e^:^or;Capap.i.ty fipcpn}-. 
panieid by integrity and other qualities'of , the nrjind, ,,^ 
which 'adorrf'th^ human' cHk'racter in a superlative ' 
degreerit has the teti-d^ndj- to draw out the affec- ''"^' 
tions ofrlh&.peopl-e inia wayi<t;hat -must begrateful - '-' 
to the,!joldie,r iji,n^:1.1,h^ ni^n. ^ J.,- ,,,[ :. ...,; ..... -. r.^.. 

Such |is thejiglji^t,, ^jr,, i^,,7vh)i(;h ^^-pu ,h^ve, t4\e _.... 
honor to be viewed by your country and on£ which, 
the Legislative CouHfcrl and'fiduse'tif Representa-' 
tives of this Territory think you are justly entitled 
to. And, Sir. in duly appreciating your service, 



PIONEER HISTORY OF INDIANA. 273 

we are perfectly sensible of the jjfreat benefit and 
important service rendered by the officers and sol- 
diers of the United States Infantry under 3'our 
command and it is with pleasure we learn that the 
officers and Militia men of our country acted with 
a heroism more than could be reasonably calculat- 
ed upon from men such as they were, undisciplined 
and unaccustomed to war." 



On the ninth of December, Governor Harrison transmit- 
ted the following reply to the foregoing address: 

TO THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL AND THE HOUSE OF 
REPRESENTATIVES. 

Fellow Citizens: 

"The joint address of the two houses which 
was delivered to me on the fifteenth inst. by your 
committee, was received with feelings which are 
more easy for you to conceive than for me to de- 
scribe. Be pleased to accept my sincerest thanks 
for the favorable sentiment 3'ou have been pleased 
to express of my conduct as Commander-in-Chief of 
the expedition and be assured that the good opinion 
of the people of Indiana and their representatives 
will ever constitute no small portion of my nappi- 
ness. If anything could add to m}' gratitude to 
you. Gentlemen, it is the interest you take in the 
welfare of those brave fellows who fought under 
my command. Your memorial in their favor to the 
Congress of the United States does ecjual honor to 
the heads and hearts of those in whose name it was 
sent and is worthy of the Legislature of the Ind- 
iana Territory." 



On the twenty-fifth of November the Territorial House 
of Representatives passed some joint resolutions which, on 
account of the strong, special and somewhat exclusive praise, 
which they bestowed on Colonel Boyd and his regiment, were 
disagreed upon in the Legislative Council on the twenty- 



274 PIONEER HISTORY OF INDIANA. 

seventh of the same month. The same resolutions were^ 
however, adopted by the House of Representatives on the 
fourth of December. 

"Resolved by the House of Representatives of 
the Indiana Territory that the thanks of this house 
be given Colonel John P. Boyd the second in com- 
mand, to the officers, non-commissioned officers, 
and private soldiers, comprising- the Fourth U. S. 
Regiment of Infantry together v^ith all the United 
States troops under his command, for the disting- 
uished regularity, discipline, coolness and undaunt- 
ed valor so eminently displayed by them in the late 
brilliant and glorious battle fought with the Shaw- 
nee Prophet and his confederates on the morning 
of the seventh of November, 1811, by the army un- 
der the command of His Excellency, William 
Henry Harrison. 

"Resolved, that the said Colonel John P. 
Boyd be requested to communicate the foregoing' 
to the officers and non-commissioned officers and 
private belonging to the said Fourth Regiment and 
that a copy of these resolutions signed b}^ the 
speaker of this house be presented to the said Col- 
onel Boyd by a committee of this house. 

"Resolved by the House of Representatives, 
of the Indiana Territory that the thanks of this 
house be presented to Col. Luke Decker and Col- 
onel Joseph Barthelomew, the officers, non-com- 
missioned officers and men composing the militia 
corps under their command, together with the of- 
ficers, non-commissioned officers and soldiers com- 
posing the volunteer militia corps from the State 
of Kentucky, for the distinguished valor, heroisru 
and bravery displayed by them in the brilliant bat- 
tle fought with the Shawnee Prophet and his con- 
• federates on the morning of the seventh of Nov- 
ember, 1811, by the army under the command of 
His Excellency, William Henry Harrison." 



The following reply to these resolutious was sent to the 
House of Representatives by Colonel Boyd: 



PIONEER HISORY OF INDIANA. 275 

"United States Troops Main Quarters. 

Vincennes, December 4, LSll, 

"To the Honorable House of Representatives, Ind- 
iana Territory. 

Gentlemen: 

"I have the honor for myself, the officers, and 
soldiers comprising the fourth rejjiment, the rifle 
company attached, and the small detachment of 
Posey's company, to return you thanks for the dis- 
ting:uished notice you have been pleased to take of 
our conduct in the battle with the Shav^nee Pro- 
phet and his confederates on the morninj^- of the 
seventh of November, 1811, by your resolution of 
this day. If our efforts in the discharg-e of our 
duties shall have resulted in advancing? the public 
g-ood we are gratified and to believe that we have 
merited this tribute of applause from the assembl- 
ed representatives of this very respectable portion of 
our country, renders it peculiarly flattering to our 
honor and our pride." 



Five days after the passage of the resolutions to which 
Colonel Boyd made the foregoing reply, Governor Harrison 
sent the following message to the House of Representatives. 

"Gentlemen of the House of Representatives: 

"Your speaker has transmitted to me two re- 
solutions of your house, expressive of your thanks 
to Colonel John P. Loyd and the officers and sol- 
diers of the Founh L. S. Regiment, to Colonels 
Bartholorrew and Decker and the officers and pri- 
vates of the militia under their command; also the 
Kentucky volunteers for their bravery and good 
conduct in the action of the seventh of November 
at the battle of Tippecanoe. 

'"It has excited my astonishment and dee]) re- 
gret to find that ihe mourned rilknen of the Ter- 
ritory, who so tminently distirguished themselves 
and the squadron of Dragoons whose conduct 
was also so highly meritorious have, on this occa- 
sion, been totally neglected. 



276 PIONEER HISTORY OF INDIANA. 

"I cannot for a moment suppose tjentlemen, 
that you have any other wish than that of render- 
injj impartial justice to all the corps. I cannot be- 
lie'\-e that you have the smallest tincture of that 
disposition which certainly elsewhere prevails to 
disparajje the conduct of the militia and to deprive 
them of their sh'are of the laurels which have been 
so dearly purchased by the blood of some of our 
best and bravest citizens. 

"No! I can never suppose that it was your in- 
tention to insult the shades of Spencer, McMahan, 
and Berry by treating- with contempt the corps 
which their deaths have contributed to immortalize, 
nor will I believe that a Davis, a White, a Ran- 
dolph and a McMahan have beensosoon forg-otten, 
nor that the corps to which they belong-ed and 
which faithfully performed its duty was deemed 
unworthy of your notice. 

"The omission was certainly occasioned by a 
mistake but it was a mistake by which, if it is not 
rectified, the feeling-s of a whole county and part 
of another, now abounding: with widows and or- 
phans the unhappy consequece of the late action, 
will be wounded and insulted. 

"The victory of the seventh of November, 
Gentlemen, was not grained by any one corps but by 
the efforts of all. Some of them indeed, more par- 
ticularly distinguished themselves and of this num- 
ber was the U. S. Reg-iment. In my official report- 
to the Secretary of War I have mentioned them in 
such terms of approbation that if stronger are to 
be found in the English language, I am unacquaint- 
ed with them, but I have not given them all the 
honors of victory. To have done so I should have 
been guilty of a violence of truth, of injustice and 
of a species of treason against our Republic itself 
whose peculiar and appropriate force is its militia. 

"With equal pride and pleasure, then do I pro- 
nounce that, notwithstanding the regular troops 
behaved as well as men ever did, many of the mil- 
itia companies were in no wise inferior to them. 
Of this number were the mounted riflemen, com- 
manded by Captain Spencer. To them was com- 
mitted the charge of defending the right flank of 
the army. That it could not have been committed 



PIONEER HISTORY OF INDIANA. 277 

to better hands, their keepinjf their jTrounds, (in- 
deed jj^aininj,^ upon the enemy ) for an hour and a 
halt with une«iualled arms, ayfainst superior num- 
bers, and amid a carnaj^e that mij^ht have made 
veterans tremble, is sufficient evidence. Nor can I 
say that Captain Robb's company after it was 
placed by the side of Spencer's was at all inferior 
to it. It is certain that they kept their post and 
their jjfreat loss shows that it was a post of danger. 
The drayfoons also did everythin^^ that could have 
been exi)ected from them in the situation in which 
they were ])laced. Before they were mounted, they 
certainly kept the enemy for a considerable time 
from penetratinjif the camp by the left flank and 
when mounted, they remained firm at their post 
althout^h exposed to the tire of the enemy at a time 
when they were necessarily inactive and con- 
sequently placed in a position most tryiny^ to 
troops. 

"The failure of the charjife made by Major 
Davis was owingf to his haviny^ emyloyed too small 
a number, but even with these, it is more than prob- 
able that he would have beeri successful if he had 
not unfortunately mistaken the direction in which 
the principal part of the enemy la}'. A successful 
charyfe was made, by a detachment of thedraj^oons 
at the close of the action and the enemy was driven 
into a swamp into which they could not be fol- 
lowed. 

"You may perhaps. Gentlemen, suppose that I 
oujjht to have ^iven you the information necerssary 
to _vour forming a correct opinion of the merits of 
each corps. Military etiquette however and the 
custom of our country forbade this. It is to the 
Government of the United States alone that a de- 
tailed account of an action is made. In this com- 
munication I have jifiven you such information only 
as was necessar}' to enable you to correct mistakes 
which, I am sure, were unintentional on your part. 

"My sense of the merits of the other corps of 
the army will be known when m}' official account is 
published." 

William Hknky Hakkison, 
Governor of Indiana Territorv. 



278 PIONEER HISTORY OF INDIANA. 

In the Terriorial House of Representatives the commit- 
tee"to whom the forgoing- message was referred reported the 
following answer to the Governor which was adopted b}^ the 
House on the seventeenth da}^ of December, 1811. 

"His Excellency, William Henry Harrison, 

Governor and Commander-in-Chief of Indiana 

Territory. 
Sir: 

"When this house addressed that portion of 
the troops to which you refer in your communica- 
tion of the ninth inst. it was not the intention of 
this body to cast a shade over any portion of the 
troops which were under the command of Your 
Excellency in the late engagement nor to take from 
the Commander-inChief, any of that honor which 
he so nobly acquired in the late victory. 

In the joint addres of both houses to you theit 
notice of the militia in general terms was thought 
sufficient as it was out of their power to notice 
every man who distinguished himself therefore it 
was considered that any evidenc^of respect paid to 
the Commander-in-Chief was an evidence of appro- 
bation to all. It is not to be supposed that those 
gentlemen to whom particular respect has been 
paid, have done any more than their duty, or that 
they distinguished themselves any more than many 
private soldiers. Those gentlemen who fell, some 
of them did well and some others had not the op- 
portunit)% being killed to early in the battle, but 
there is not an individual in this body but acknow- 
ledges that it was a well fought battle and that 
praises are due; but they generally agree that the 
laurels won principally, ought to be the property 
of the Commander-in-Chief. 



l^OLL OF THE ARMY THAT FOUGHT THE BATTLE 
OF TIPPECANOE, NOV. 7, 1811. 

Governor William Henry Harrison, Commander-in-Chief 
General Staff. 

William McFarland, Lieut. Col. and Adjutand General. 
Abraham Owen, Col. and Aide-de-camp, (killed Nov. 7, 

1811.) 
Henry Hurst, Major and Aide-de-camp. 
Waller Ta3'lor, Major and Aide-de-camp. 
Marston G. Clark, Major and Aide-de-camp. 
Thomas Randolph, Acting- Aide-de-camp- (killed Nov. 7, 

1811.) 
Captain Piatt, Second U. S. Infantr)' Chief Quartermaster. 
■Captain Robert Buntin, In-Ciana Militia, Quartermaster of 

the Militia. 
Dr. Josiah D. Foster, Chief Surg-eon. 
Dr. Hosea Blood, Surgeon's Mate. 
Sec. Lieut. Robert Bunting- jr., Indiana Militia Forag-emaster. 

THE troops. 
Colonel John Park Bo/d, Fourth U. S. Infantr}', Commander 

of the Brigade with rank of Brigadier General. 
•George Croghan, of Kentucky Volunteers, Aide-de-camp. 
Nathan F. Adams, Lieut, and Adjutant. 



A Roll of a Detachment of Field and Staff of Indiana 

Militia. 

From September 11, to November 24, 1811. 

Joseph Bartholomue, Lieut. Col. (Wounded in action Nov^ 

7, 1811.) 



280 PIONEER HISTORY OF INDIANA. 

Regin Redman, Major and Aide-de-camp. 

Andrew P. Hayes, Surgeon's Mate. 

Joseph Brown, Adjutant. 

Joseph Clark, Quartermaster, Appointed Surgeon's Mate Oct. 

29, 1811. 
Chapman Dunslow, Sergeant Major. 
James Curry, Quartermaster Sergeant. 



Roll of Field and Staff of Indiana Infantry Militia. 

From September 18, to November 19, 1811. 

Commanded by Lieut. Col. Luke Decker. 
Noah Purcell, Major. 
Daniel Sullivan, Lieut, and Adjutant. 
Benjamin S. V. Becker, Lieut, and Quartermaster. 
Edward Scull, Assistant Quartermaster. 

James Smith, Quartermaster, Appointed Captain of War- 
rick's Company Nov. 9, 1811. 
William Gamble, Quartermaster Sergeant. 
William Ready, Sergeant Major. 



Roll of Field and Staff of Dragoons of Indiana Militia. 
From September 21, to November 19, 1811. 

Major Joseph H. Davis, commanding (killed in action Nov, 
7, 1811.) 

Benjamin Park, Major, promoted Nov. 7, 1811. 
James Floyd, Lieutenant and Adjutant. 
Charles Smith, Sieutenant and Quartermaster. 
General W. Johnson, Lieutenant and Quartermaster (pro- 
moted from ranks.) 
William Prince, Sergeant Major. 



Roll of Captain Spier Spencer's Company of Mounted 
Riflemen of the Indiana Militia. 

This company was directly under the Commander-in-chief 



PIONEER HISTORY OF INDIANA. 281 

reported to and received orders from his head<|uarters. 

Spier Spencer, Captain (killed Nov. 7, 1811. ) 
Richard McMahan, First Lieut, (killed Nov. 7, 1811.) 
Thomas Berry, Second Lieut., (^killed Nov. 7, 1811.) 
Samuel Flanaj^an, Second Lieut. Promoted from Ensij^n, 

Oct. 21. 1811. 
John Tipton, Captain (Promoted from private to Ensij^n, Oct. 

21. 1811. to Captain Nov. 7. 1811. 
Jacob Zenor, Second Lieut. Promoted from Private Nov. 7, 

1811. 
Phillip Bell, Ensi^fn. Promoted from Private Nov. 7. 1811. 
Pearse Chamberlain, Sery^eant. 
Henry Bateman, Sergeant. 
Elijah Hurst, Serg-eant. 
Benjamin Beard, Serj^eant. 

Robert Big-g-s, Corporal (Severely wounded Nov. 7, 1811. ) 
John Taylor. Corporal. 
Benjamin Shields, Corporal. 
William Bennington, Corporal. 
Daniel Cline, Musician. 
Isham Stroud. Musician. 

PRIVATES PRIVATES 

John Arick James Heubbound 

Ignitus Able Robert Jones 

Enos Best James Kelley 

Alpheus Branham Thomas McColley 

Gadow Branham . Noah Mathena 

Daniel Bell William Nance 

James Brown Thomas Owen 

Jesse Butler Samuel Pfriner 

Mason Carter Edward Ransdell 

John Cline Sanford Ransdell 
Marshall Duncan (killed Nov. James Spencer 

7, 181 l.j 
William Davis (killed Nov. 7, Christover Shucks 

1811.; 



'282 



PIONEER HISTORY OF INDIANA. 



Thomas Davidson 

James D3'ce 

Henry Enlow 
William Hurst, jr. 
William Hurst, Sr. 
Beverly Hurst 
James Harberson 
James Watts 
Isham Vest 
•George Zenor 



Joshua Shield, severely wound- 
ed 

Samuel Sand, (killed Nov. 7, 
1811. j 

Georg-e Spencer 

Jacob Snider 

John Rig-ht 

James Wilson 

John Wheeler 

P. McMickle 

Levi Dunn 

William Fovi^ler 



Roll of Spies and Guides of the Indiana Militia. 

From September 18, to November 12. 

This organization reported direct to the Commander-in- 
chief, Toussant Dubois, Captain Commanding. 



privates 
Silas McCulloch 

^G. R. C. Sullivan 
William Polk 
William Bruce 
Piere Andre 
Ephriam Jordan 
William Show 
David Miles 
Booker Childers 



PRIVATES 

William Hogue (disc. Oct. 11, 

1811.) 
David Wilkins 
John Hollingsworth 
Thomas Learneus 
Joseph Arpin 
Abraham Decker 
Samuel James 
Stewart Cunningham 
Thomas Jordon 



Roll of a Company of Infantry of Indiana Militia. 
Prom September 16, to November 19, 1811» 
Captain Jacob Warrick, Commanding killed Nov, 7, 1811. 



PIONEER HISTORY OF INDIANA. 



283 



Captain James Smith, Promoted from Quartermaster Nov. 9, 

1811. 
William Calton. Lieut. Discharg-ed September 27, 1811. 
Thomas Montj^omery, jr. Promoted to Lieutenant Sept. 30, 

1811. 
James Duckworth, Ensij^n. 
Robert Montgomery, Sergfeant 
Robert McGarry, Serg-eant. 
James Piercall, Sergeant. 
Isaac Woods, Sergeant. 
Benjamin Venables, Corporal 
Thomas Black, Corporal. 
Robert Denney. Corporal. 



PRIVATES 
James Alsop 
James Stewart 
Jesse Key 

Bennet Key 
James Withers 
Jesse Brewer 
Richard Davis 
Asa Music 
Smith Mounts 
James Stapleton 
Lewis Sealy 
James Bohannon 
Daniel Duff 
William Todd 
John Gwins 
Burton Litton 
Peter Whetstone 
Timothy Dower 
Benjamin Stoker 
Miles Armstrong 
William Young 
Maxwell Jolley 



PRIVATES 

Fielding Lucas 
John McGarry 
Thomas Montgomery (65 years 

old) 
John Montgomery 
Ephriam Murphy 
Langsdon Drew 
William Gwins 
William Black 
Joshua Capps 
Andrew McFaddon 
Squire McFaddon 
Wilson Jones 
Jeremiah Robinson 
Hugh Todd 
Martin Laughon 
George Lynxwiler 
William Stevens 
John Coyler 
Thomas Almon 
William Almon 
Thomas Duckworth 
John Robb 



284 PIONEER HISTORY OF INDIANA. 

John Neel Randolph Clark 

William Black 



Roll of Company of Mounted Riflemen of the Indiana 

Militia. 

From October 25, to November 19, 1811. 

David Robb, Captain Commanding-. 
Joseph Montgfomery, Lieutenant. 
John Waller, Ensijjfn. 
Elsber^' Armstrong-, Sergeant. 
William Maxidon, Sergeant. 
Ezkial Kite, Corporal. 
George Anthees, Corporal. 
Bryant Harper, Trumpeter. 

privates privates 

Amb. Decker John Za Orton 

James Tweedle Amstead Bennett 

William Peters Stewart Cunningham 

Frances Hall Booker Shields 

William Tweedle John Slaven 

John Severns jr. James Langsdown 

Thomas Sullivan Jesse Music (killed Nov. 7, 

1811.) 
Daniel Fisher (killed Nov. 7, 

1811.) William Alsop 

Joseph Garress Thomas C. Vines 

Edwark Buttner (killed Nov. 

7, 1811.) Samuel James 

Thomas Shouse Frederick Rell 

William Selby John Black 

James Robb, severely wounded Jonah Robinson 
Isaac Rogers John Rogers 

James Bass George Leech jr. 

David Mills Thomas Givins 

John Black William Carson 



PIONEER HISTORY OF INDIANA. 



2S5 



Geor^fe Litton 
William Downiii": 

James Blanckes 
James Minor 
Peter Cartri^ht 
Thomas Crarress 

David Tobin 
John Rig-g-s 
Thadeus Davis 

Thomas P. Vampit 

John Crawford 

William Askins 

Alex Maken, badly wounded 

Moses Sandridg^e 

John Drag-oo , 

Robert Tenneson 

Joseph Rig-ht 

Thomas West 



David Knight 

Thomas Jordon, Trans, to Du- 
bois Company. 

William Bass 

Hugh Shaw 

David Lilley 

James Ashbury, killed Nov. 7, 
1811. 

Robert Wilson 

John Christ 

Kader Powell, killed Nov. 7, 
1811. 

Thomas Dunn 

Jacob Kertner 

Johnathan Humphrey 

William Witherhold 

Da\-id Edwards 

Samuel Hamilton 

Richard Potts 

George Robinson, severely 
wounded 



Roll of a Company of the Indiana Militia. 
From September 11, to November 24, 1811. 

Captain John Norris, Commanding, wounded in action Nov. 

7, 1811. 
John Harrod, Lieutenant. 
Joseph Carr, Ensig-n. 
John Drummond, Sergeant. 
William Combs, Sergeant. 
Brazil Prather, Sergeant. 
David Smith, Sergeant. 
Henry Ward, Corporal. 
John Harmon, Corporal. 
Joel Combs, Corporal. 



286 



PIONEER HISTORY OF^ INDIANA. 



Robert Combs, Corporal. 

David Kelley, Corporal Sept. 30, 1811. 

Elisha Carr, Drummer. 

Joseph Perr}', Fifer. 



PRIVATES 

Robert McNig-ht 

Gasper Lootes 

Edward Norris 

Henry Cussamore 

C. Fipps 

John Gra)'^ 

Jacob Dail}' 

Thomas Clendenen, killed Nov 

7, 1811. 
Abram Kelley, killed Nov. 7 

1811. 
Henry Jones, killed Nov. 7, 

1811. 
James Smith 
Jevis Fordyce 
Cornelius Kelley 
E. Wayman 
John Newland 
Micaja Pe3'ton 
Adam Peck 
Benjamin Thompson 
William Eakin 
John D. Jacobs 
Robert Tiffin 
John McClintick 
William Aston 
Josiah Taylor 
Daniel McCoy 
Thomas Hi^rhfiH 
Henry Hooke 
James Taylor 
James Duncan 



PRIVATES - 

William Stacey 
Samuel Duke 
James Chipman 
Peter Sherwood 
George Distler 
John Kelley 
David Cross 

Robert Cunningham 

James Curry 

Samuel McClung-, Quartermas- 
ter Sergt. 
John Berry 
Benoni Wood 
Amos Goodwin 
William Harman 
John Tilfero 
Lloyd Prather 
Samuel McClintic 
John Weathers 
Evain Arnold 
Hugh Epsy 
Townly Ruby 
William Raj^son 
Ruben Slead 
George Hooke 
Jacob Pearsoll 
Samuel Neal 
Robert McClellen 
Joseph Warnock 



PIONEER HISTORY OF INDIANA. 



28r 



Roll of a Company of Infantry of the Indiana Militia.. 
From September 19, to November 19, 1811. 

Captain William Hargrove, Commanding. 

Isaac Montgomer} , Lieutenant. 

Cary Ashle}-, Ensign, Resigned Oct. 27, 1811. 

Henry Hopkins, Ensign, promoted from Sergeant October 

27, 1811. 
David Brumlield, Lieutenant, promoted from Corporal Oct. 

1811. 
Bolden Conner, Sergeant. 
James Evans, Sergeant. 
David Miller, Sergeant, promoted from Corporal October 27, 

1811. 
William Scales, Sergeant, promoted from private October 27,. 

1811. 
David Johnson^ Corporal. 



PRIVATES 

Samuel Anderson 

Jer. Harrison 

Joseph Ladd 

Thomas Archer 

James Lemm 

Joshua Day 

William Pierson 

Robert Milborn 

John Lout 

James Young 

Auther Meeks 

Reuben Fitzgerald, slightl)' 

wounded 
Jacob Skelton 
William Gordon 
Reding Putnam 
Johnson F^itsgerald 
James Skelton 
Samuel Wheeler 



PRIVATES 
John Braselton jr. 
John Flener 
Pinkney Anderson 
William Archer 
Charles Collins 
Charles Penelton 
John Mills 
John Cockrum 
Nathan Woodrough 
John Tucker 
John Conner 

Zachary Skelton 
Benjamin Scales 
Laban Putnam 
John May 
Thomas Arnett 
Elias Barker 
Robert Wheeler 



288 



PIONEER HISTORY OF INDIANA. 



William Mangrum 
James McClure 
Benjamin Conner 
William Skelton 
Randolph Owen 
James Crow 
George Cunningham 
Joseph Mixon 
Edward Whitacer 
Robert Skelton, severly 

wounded 
Joseph English, Dis. Sept. 19, 

1811. 
Cabreen Merry, Dis. Sept. 19, 

1811. 



Conrod LeMasters 

Haz Putnam 

Joshua Stapleton 

William Harrington 

Isaac Tweedle 

Richard M. Kirk 

James Skidmore 

Samuel Gaston 

Chas. Meeks 

David Larrence, Dis. Sept. 19, 

1811. 
Robert Montgomery, Dis. Sept. 

19, 1811. 



Roll of a Company of Infantry of the Indiana Militia. 

From September 18, to November 19, 1811. 

Captain Thomas Scott Commanding. 

John Purcell, Lieutenant. 

John Scott, Ensign. 

Joshua Duncan, Ensign. 

John Welton, Ensign. 

Frances Mallet. Ensign. 

Lanta Johnson, Ensign. 

Samuel Roquest, Ensign. 

John Moore Corporal. 

Abraham Westfall, Corporal. 

Elick C. Dushane, Corporal. 

Charles Bono, Corporal. 



privates 
Jesse Willis 
John Hornback 
John McCoy 
Andrew Westfall 
Walter Weil 



PRIVATES 

James McDonald 
Alpheus Pickard 
Zebulan Hogue 
William Watson 
William A. Clark 



PIONEER HISTORY OF INDIANA. 



289 



William Welton 

Abram Woods killed Nov. 7, 

1811 
William Williams 
William Collins 
Robert Johnson 
William Penny 
William Jones 
William Bailey 
Richard Westrope 
Joseph Ridley 
Joseph Alton 
Antonia Gerome 
Charles Dudware 
Joseph Bushby 
Austin Lature 
Charles Souderiette 
Frances Berno 

Senro Bolonga died of wounds 

Nov. 18, 1811. 
Frances Boryean 
Pierre Delura, sr. 
Joseph Besam 
Dominic Pashy 
Antonnie Ravellett 
Jack Obiah killed Nov. 7, 

1811. 
Joseph Reno 
Nicholas Valmare 
Francis Arph 
Mandin Cardinal 



Henry Lain 
John Collins 

Samuel Risley 

Charles Fisher 

Absolom Thorne 

William Youny^ 

John Collin, jr. 

Charles Mail 

Thomas McClain 

Henry O'Neil 

Baptist Topale 

Mitchel Rusherville 

John Baptist Bono 

Henry Merceam 

Louis A. Bair 

Ambrose Dashney 

Fiances Bonah killed Nov. 7, 

1811. 
Louis Lovlett 

John Mominny dis. Oct. 1811. 

Pierre Delura, jr. 

Louis Boyeam 

Antonio Cornia 

John Baptist Cardinal 

Tossaint Deno 

Ustice Seranne 
Joseph Sansusee 
Antoine Shennett 
Louis Lowya 



Roll of A Company of Indiana Militia 
From September 18 to November 18, 1811. 
Captain Walter Wilson, Commanding-. 



290 



PIONEER HISTORY OF INDIANA. 



Benjamin Beckes, Lieutenant. 
Joseph Nacomb, Ensign. 
Thomas J. Withers, Sergeant, 
John Decker, Sergeant. 
Thomas White, Sergeant. 
Isaac Minor, Sergeant. 
Daniel Risley, Corporal. 
William Shuck, Corporal. 
John (iray. Corporal. 
Peter Brenton, Corporal. 

PRIVATES 

William Gamble 

Batost Chavalar 

Joseph Harbour 

James Jardon 

John Anthis 

Louis Reel died Oct. 13, 1811. 

Richard Gfeentree 

Jacob Anthis 

Nathan Baker 

Sinelkey Almy 

Moses Decker 

Woolsey Pride 

Abraham Pea 

William Pride 

Jacob Harboson 

Joab Chappell 

John Risley 

Isaac Walker 

James Purcell 



PRIVATES 

William Brenton 
Thomas Chamers 
Adam Harness 
John Chambers 
Louis Frederick 
Asa Thorne 
Samuel Clutter 
James Walker 
John Bargor 
Peter Bargor 
Joseph Woodry 
Robert Brenton 
Thomas Milbourn 
Benjamin Walker 
Sutten Coleman 
Robert McClure 
John Walker 
David Knight 



Roll of a Company of Infantry of the Indiana Militia. 

From September 18, to November 19, 1811. 
Andrew Wilkins, Captain commanding. 
Adam Lishman, Lieutenant. 
Samuel McClure, Ensign. 



PIONEER HISTORY OF INDIANA. 



291 



John Hadden, Seri^eant. 
Thomas Black, Serf^eant. 
Samuel Leman. Serjj:eant. 
Charles Booth. Serjjeant. 
Daniel Carlin, Corporal. 
John Edwards, Corporal. 
Richard Enjj-le. Corporal. 
Abraham Bojfard, Corporal. 

PKIVATES 

John Johnston 
Abraham Johnston 
Robert Murphy 
William Ashby 
Edward Wilkes 
Thomas Anderson 
James Calleway 
Isaac Luzader 
Asa McCord 
Robert Li 1 ley 
William Holling-sworth 
Obadiah F. Patrick 
John Mur])hy 
James Harrel 
John Davis 
Robert Elsey 
Robert Britton 
John Rodarmel 
Joseph Hobbs 
Thomas Harrel 
William Hill 
Henry Collins 
Thomas Johnston 
William Black 
John Hardin 
Robert Polk 
Geortfe Ciill 
Joseph McRennels 



PRIVATKS 

John Mills 
Ames Mitchell 
Jesse Cox 
Londerick Earnest 
Rubin Moore 
Samuel Middleton 
James Tims 
Samuel Carruthers 
Nathan Adams 
John Eliott 
William Francis 
Aaron Quick 
Ebenezer Blackstone 
Samuel Culbertson 
Christopher Coleman 
Henry Matney 
William Filnt 
John Culbertson 
Albert Davis 
Joseph Edwards 
John Eng-le 
John Meeks 
Madison Collins 
Luke Matson 
Edward Bowls 
Charles Ellison 
James (iraham 
John Purcell 



o(j2 



PIONEER HISTORY OF INDIANA. 



George Brig-ht 
William Arnet 
Samuel Leggerwood 



Peter Lishman 
Martin Palmore 



Roll of a Company of Riflemen of Indiana Militia. 
From September 11, to November 24, 1811. 
John Bigger, Captain commanding. 
John Chunn, Lieutenant. 
Joseph Stillwell, Ensign. 
John Drummons, Sergeant. 
Isaac Mailory, Sergeant. 
Rice G. McCoy, Sergeant. 

Thomas Nicholas, Sergeant, (Dis. Oct. 16, 1811.) 
Josiah Thomas, (Promoted Sergeant Oct. 16, 1811.) 
James B. McCollough, Corporal. 
Johnathan Hartley, Corporal. 
Thomas Chappell, Corporal. 
David Bigger, Corporal. 
John Owens, Drummer. 
Jacob L. Stillwell, Fifer. 



privates 
James Robertson 

John Hutcherson 
Daniel Williams 
Heekiah Robertson 
John Denney 
John Gibson 
John Walker 
John Carr 
Vineyard Pond 
John Heartley 
Samuel Stockwell 
Robert Robertson, jr. 
Thomas Gibson, wounded Nov 
7, 1811. 



privates 
Joseph Warrick killed Nov. 7, 

1811. 
Daniel Peyton 
James Garner 
Joseph Daniel 
James King 
Amos Little 
John Pettitt 
William Nailor 
Andrew Holland 
Daniel Kimberlain 
David Owens, jr. 
Absalom Carr 
. James Robertson, jr. 



PIONEER HISTORY OF INDIANA. 



2«i3 



James Anderson 

William Hutto 

Charles Matthews 

William Wright 

John Martin 

John Kelley 

David Copple 

James Elliot 

Moses Stark 

George Reed 

James McDonald 

Alexander Montgomery 

Leonard Houston, wounded 

Nov. 7, 1811. 
Tobias Miller 
John Gibson, jr. 



William Tisler, killed Nov. 7, 

1811. 
Thomas Burnett 
John Covert 
John Finley 
Isaac Stark 
Wilson Sergeant 
William G. Guberick 
John Agins 
John Reed 
Benjamin Pool 
Isaac D. Hoffman 
William Hooker 
James Mooney 

Lucius Kibby 



A Roll of a Detachment of Mounted Riflemen of the 
Indiana Militia. 

From September 12, to November 23. 1811. 

Commanded by Thomas Berry, Lieutenant, killed Nov. 7, 

1811. 
Zachariah Linley, Sergeant, severely wounded November 7, 

1811. 



PRIVATES 

John Brier 
Frederick Carnes 
Thomas Elliot 
Joseph Edwards 

David Hedrick 

Caleb Harrison 
William Lee 



PRIVATES 

John Beck 

John Dougherty 

Griffin Edwards 

Peter Hanks, mortally wound- 

Nov. 7, 1811. 
Henry Hickey, killed Nov. 7, 

1811. 
Anthony Taylor 
Jacob Lutes 



2'H 



PIONEER HISTORY OF INDIANA. 



Daniel McMickle, killed Nov. Henry Moore 

7. 1811. 
Peter McMickle, severely Georgfe Mahon 

wounded 
Fredrick Wyman Samuel Lockheart 



Roll of a Company of Light Dragoons of Indiana Militia. 

From September 18. to November 1'), 1811. 
Benjamin Park, Captain Commanding-, Promoted to Major. 
Thomas Emmerson, Lieutenant. 
John Bathis. Cornet. 
George Wallace, Junior Lieutenant. 
Chirstian Grater, Sergeant. 
William Harper, Serg-eant. 
Henry Rubby, Sergeant. 
John McClure, Serg:eant. 
William H. Dunnica, Corporal. 
Levi Elliot, Corporal. 
Charles Allen, Corporal. 
Reubon Sallinger, Corporal. 
John Braden, Saddler. 

PRIVATES 

Charles Smith 

Joshua Bond 

William Prince 

Toussant Dubois, jr. 

John McDonald 

John Elliott 

Henry Dubois 

William Berry 

John Crosby 

William Meham killed Nov 

1811. 
Samuel Emerson 
Nathan Harness 
John Seton 
John Flint 



PRIVATES 

Peter Jones 
Permena Beck 
Jesse Slawson 
Thomas Randolph 
Miles Dolahan 
Mathias Rose, jr. 
Jesse Lucas 
William Purcell 
Leonard Crosby 
Samuel Drake 

Samuel Alton 
Daniel Decker 
Hawson Seton 
John D. Hay 



PIONEER HISTORY OF INDIANA. 



2*^5 



Hiriam Decker 

John I. Neely 

Pierre Laptante 

Andrew Purcell 

Albert Badolett 

Thomas Coulter 

Charles McClure 

Thomas McClure 

Thomas Palmer 

William A. McClure 

James McClure 

James Neal 

Charles Scott 

Isaac White, killed Nov. 7, 

1811. 
Henry I. Mills 
James Mud 
Abner Hynes 
John O'Fallon 
William Luckett 
Reuben Buntin, jr. 
Robert Sturu;-en 



Ebenezer Hilton 

John McBain, Trumpeter 

John Pea 

James Steen 

Josiah L. Homes 

William W. Homes 

Jaccjue Andre 

John Bruce 

G. W. Johnston 

Clanton Steen 

Archibald McClure 

John Wyant 

James S. Petty 

John McClure 

Robert M. Evans 
George Croghlin 
Benjamin Saunders 
James Nabb 
Landon Carter 
John I. Smith 
James Harper 



Roll of a Company of Light Dragoons of the Indiana 

Militia. 

From September 11, to November 23, 1811. 
Charles Beggs, Captain Commanding. 
John Thompson, -Lieutenant. 
Henry Bottorf, Lieutenant. 

Mordicia Sweeny, Cornet, Promoted to Lieut., Sept. 18. 
Davis Floyd, Promoted to Adjutant September 1811. 
John Carr, Sergeant. 
James Sage, Sergeant. 
John Fisler, Sergeant. 

Abraham Miller, Sergeant. , 

George Rider, Corporal. 
Simon Prather, Corporal. 



296 PIONEER HISTORY OF INDIANA. 

Hugh Ross, Corporal. 
Samuel Battorf, Corporal. 
John Deats, Trumpeter. 

PRIVATES PRIVATES 

Jacob Cresmore William Kelley killed Nov. 7,. 

1811. 

William Lewis James Ellison 

Timoth}' R. Rayment John Cowan 

John Gibbons William Perry 

Edward Perry John Goodwin 

Jmaes Hay John Newland 

George Twilley Milo Davis 

Maston G. Clark, Prom. Bri- Samuel Carr 

gade Major. 

Joseph McCormick Richard Ward 

John Ferris Charles F. Ross 



Roll of Field and Staff of a Battalion of Kentucky 
Light Dragoon. 
Battle of Tippecanoe, October 16 to November 24, 1811. 
Samuel Wells, Major Commanding. 
James Hunter, Adjutant. 



A Company Commanded by Peter Funk, Captain. 
Lewis Hite, Lieutenant. 
Samuel Kelley, Cornet. 
James Martin, Sergeant, 
Adam Mills, Sergeant. 
Henr}' Conning, Sergeant. 
Lee White, Sergeant. 
Elliot Wilson, Corporal. 
William Cooper, Trumpeter. 
Samuel Frederick, Farrier. 

PRIVATES PRIVATES 

William Dubberly John Edlin 



PIONEER HISTORY OF INDIANA. 



29" 



William Ferguson 
James Hite 
Joseph Kenison 
John Murphy 
Enos Mackey 
Thomas Stafford 
John Smith 
M. Williamson 



Benjamin W. Gath 
I. Hollingfsworth 
William M, Luckett 
James Muckleroy 
Thomas F. Mayors 
William Shaw 
William T. Tulley 
Samuel Willis 



Roll of Company of Kentucky Mounted Riflemen. 
Frederick Geiger, Captain Commanding. 
Presley Ross, Lieutenant. 
William Edward, Ensign. 
Daniel McClellen, Sergeant. 
Robert Mclntire, Sergeant. 
Robert Edwards, Sergeant. 
John Jackson, Sergeant. 

Steven Mars, Corporal, (killed Nov. 7, 1811.) 
John Hicks, Corporal. 
John Nash, Corporal. 
Henry Walts, Corporal. 
Joseph Paxton, Trumpeter. 

PRIVATES 

Phillip Allen 

William Brown 

Charles L. Byrne 

Adam Berket 

Charles Barkshire 

Temple C. Byrne 

Thomas Galliway 

John Dunbar 

Richard Finley 

Joseph Funk, wounded Nov. 

7, 1811. 
Isaac Gawthmey 
James Hanks 



PRIVATES 

Thomas Beeler 
James Ballard 
Joseph Barkshire 
John Buskirk, wounded 
Robert Barnaba 
George Beck 
William Cline 
James M. Edwards 
Nicholas Fleener 
John Grimes 

Henry Hawkins 
Zachariah Ingram 



298 



PIONEER HISTORY OF INDIANA. 



Joshua Jest 

John Lock 

John Maxwell, killed Nov. 7, 

1811. 
Daniel Minor 
Michiel Plaster 
Johnathan Pond 
Patrick Shields 
John W. Slaughter 

Augustus Spring-er, killed 

Nov. 7, 1811. 
James Somerville, killed Nov 

7, 1811. 
Thomas Trig-g- 
Abraham Walk 
Samuel W. White 



Elijah Lane 
Hudson Martin 
Josh Maxwell 

John Ousle}-^ 

Samuel Pond 

Peter Priest 

Edmond Shipp 

Joseph Smith, killed Nov. 7, 

1811. 
Thomas Spunks 

Wilson Taylor 

William Trig-g- 
George W. Wells 
Greensbury Wright 



The Roll of the Field and Staff of the Fourth Reg- 
ular U. S. Infantry For November 1811. 
John P. Boyd, Colonel. 
James Miller, Lieutenant Colonel 
Zebulon M. Pike, Lieutenant Colonel. 
G. R. C. Floyd, Major. 
Josiah D. Foster, Surgeon. 
Hosea Blood, Surgeon's Mate. 
John L. Eastman, Assistant Adjutant 
Josiah Bacon, Quartermaster. 
Nathan F. Adams, Paymaster. 
Winthrop Ayre, Sergeant Major. 
William Kelley, Quartermaster Sergeant. 



Roll of a Company of Infantry Under the Command of 

Captain Josiah Snelling of the Fourth Infantry. 

September 30, to November 30, 1811. 



PIONEER HISORY OF INDIANA. 



299 



Josiah Snellingf, Captain. 
Charles Fuller, First Lieutenant. 
John Smith, Second Lieutenant. 
Richard Fillebrown, Sergeant. 
Jacob B. Rand, Serg^eant. 
Daniel Baldwin. Sergeant. 
Ephriam Churchill, Sergeant. 
John Shay, Corporal. 
Timothy Hartt, Corporal. 
Samuel Horden, Corporal. 
Benjamin Moores, Corporal. 
Amos G. Corey, Musician. 

PRIVATES 

John Austin 
James Bryce 
Michael Burns 
John Whitney 
Cephas Chace 
Jacob Collins 
Oills Willcox 
William Dale 



PRIVATES 

Cyrus J. Brown 

Mark Whalin 

John Brewer 

George Blandin 

John P. Webb 

William Clough 

Thomas Day 

Thomas Black, died October 
11, 1811. 
John Davis Abner Dutcher 

Daniel Haskell, deserted Sept. Phillip Eastman 
25, 1811. 



Samuel French 
Allanson Hathaway 
Henry Indewine 
Abraham Larabee 
Gideon Lincoln 
Serfino Massi 
Vincent Massi 
Samuel Prichett 
Samue4 Porter 
Joseph Pettingall 
Samuel Pixley 



Rufus Goodenough 
William Healey 
William Jackman 
Asa Larabee 
Edward Magary 
Lugi Massi 
James McDonald 
James Theldon 
Jam«» Palmer 
William B. Perkins 
Johnathan Robinson, died Oct. 
6, 1811. 



300 



PIONEER HISTORY OF INDIANA. 



Greenleaf Sewey 
Wesley Stone 
John Trasher 

Joseph Tibbets, killed Nov. 
1811. 



Elias Soper 
Seth Sergeant 
Phillip Trasher 
7, David Wier 



Roll of a Company of Infantry Under the Command of 
George W. Prescott of the Fourth U. S. Regiment. 
From October 3, to December 31, 1811. 
George W. Prescott, Captain. 
Ebenezer Way, First Lieutenant. 
Benjamin Hill, First Lieutenant. 
John Miller, Sergeant. 
William Hug-gins, Sergeant. 
Aaron Tucker, Sergeant. 
Robert Sanborn, Corporal. 
Ephriam Dockham, Corporal. 
John Silver, Corporal. 
Samuel Fowler, Corporal. 
Moses Blanchard, Musician. 
John Ross, Musician. 



PRIVATES 

John Ashton 
George Bailey 
Benjamin Burnham 
Almerine Clark 
Nathan Colbey 
John Corsen 
James Cobby 
John Forriest 
Henry Godfrey 
Levi Griffin 
John Green 
Benjamin Hudson 
Amos Ingulls 
William Kelley 



PRIVATES 
Ira Bailey 
Able Brown 
Enoch Carter 
Stephen Clay 
Johnathan Colbey 
William Corsen 
Abraham Falson 
Thomas Glines 
John Gorrell 
Peter Griffin 
Edmund Heard 
Johnathan Herrick 
David Ingulls 
William Knapp 



PIONEER HISTORY OF INDIANA. 301 

Stephen Knight Peter Ladd 

Aaron Ladd Samuel Ladd 

Johnson Levering: Moses Mason 

James Merrill John Norman 

Ezra C. Peterson Lemuel Parker 
John Sanborn, killed Nov. 7, Barnard Shields 

1811. 

Nathan Simpson Luther Stevenson 

William Sharpless Israel Filton 

John Virg-in Oliver Wakefield 

Silas Wells Isaac Wescott. 

Johnathan Wiley James Williams 



Roll of Captain Bean's Company in the Fourth U. S. 

Regiment. 
From October 31, to December 31, 1811. 
William C. Bean, Captain, killed Nov. 7, 1811. 
Charles Larabee, First Lieutenant. 
Louis Beckham, Second Lieutenant. 
James Tracey, First Sergeant. 
Bernard A. T. Cormons, Second Sergeant. 
William Stony, Third Sergeant. 
Simon Crum, First Corporal. 
Edward Allen, Second Corporal. 
Amos G. Carey, Musician. 
Zebulon Sanders, Musician. " 

privates privates 

George Bentley, died Dec. 16, Darius Ballow 

1811. 
Jeremiah Boner Ebenezer Collins 

John Dohahue Sylvester Dean 

Daniel Delong Daniel Doyers 

John Davis Dexter Earll, mortally wound- 

ed Nov. 7, 1811. 
Timothy Foster Bryan Flanagan 

Russell Freeman Andrew Griffin 



302 



PIONEER HISTORY OF INDIANA. 



John Glover 
Samuel Hawkins 
John D. Hall 
Titus Knapp 
John T. Mohonnah 
Nathan Mitchell 
Smith Nanhrup 
James Pinel 
Daniel Rodman 
Nathan Witherall 
William Williams 
August Ballow 



Samuel Gunnison 
Peter Harvey 
John Jones 
Weatherall Leonard 
John Miller 
Francis Nelson 
Benjamin S. Peck 
Isaac Rathborn 
Benjamin Vandeford 
James Whipple 
Job Winslow 
William Button 



Roll of Captain Joel Cook's Company of Infantry in the- 
FouRTH U. S. Regiment. 
From October 31, to December 31, 1811. 
Joel Cook, Captain 
Josiah Bacon, Second Lieutenant. 
James A. Bennett, Sergeant. 
Daniel Skelton, Sergeant. 
Caleb Betts, Sergeant. 
Henry Munn, Sergeant. 
Nathaniel Heaton, Corporal. 
John Anthony, Corporal. 
David B. Kipley, Corporal. 
Abigah Bradley, Musician. 
Samuel Thompson, Musician. 

privates 
William Bird 
Gorden Beckwith 
William Barnett 
Denison Crumby, mortally 

wounded Nov. 7, 1811. 
Robert Coles 



William P^oreman 



privates 
Alexander Brown 
George Brasbridge 
Alfred Cobourne 
Eliakins Culver 

Charles Coger, killed Nov. 7, 

1811. 
Joseph Francis 



PIONEER HISTORY OF INDIANA. 303: 

Ezra Fox Levi Gleason 

Benjamin Holland Roswell Heminway 

John Hutchenson Michael Houck 

Abraham Johnson David Kinchbacker 

George Kilborn Daniel Lee, killed November 

7, 1811. 
William Moore William Nervill 

James Pinkitt Michael Pendegrass 

Ansom Twitchell Elisha Pearson 

John Williams James Parker 

Johnathan Walling-ford Amos Royce, killed November 

7, 1811. 
John Pinckley Jesse Elam 

Nathan Snow, mortally wound- Robert Riley 

ed Nov. 7, 1811. 
Everett Shelton Daniel Spencer 

Samuel Smith Wijliam Sanderson 

Robert Thompson John St. Clair 



Roll OF Captain Return B. Brown's Company of Infantry- 
Fourth U. S. Regiment. 
From October 31, to December 31, 1811. 

Return B. Brown, Captain. 
John Smith, Second Lieutenant. 
Oliver C. Barton, First Lieutenant. 
Ebenezer Moweer, Sergeant. 
David Robinson, Sergeant. 
Levi Jenison, Sergeant. 
Daniel Reed, Sergeant. 
Ephriam Sillaway, Corporal. 
Joel Kimble, Corporal. 
Samuel S. Bingham, Drummer. 
Henry Hay den, Fifer. 

PRIVATES PRIVATES 

Lewis Bemmis Bazalul Bradford 

Elias Barrett Auston Bradford 



304 



PIONEER HISTORY OF INDIANA. 



Benjamin Bartlett 
Henr}^ Beck 
Caleb Calton 
Comadovas D. Cass 
Joseph Flood 
Ebenezer P. Field 
Peter Greeney 
Samuel Hillyard 
Bliss Lovell 
John Morg-an 
Obediah Morton 
Jacob Prouty 
Mahew Rollings 
David Tuthill 
David Wells 

John Yeomans, killed Nov. 
1811. 



Eli Boyd 
Zalmon Blood 
William W. McConnel 
Rowland Edwards 
Joseph Follet 
Harvey Geer 
Walter T. Hitt 
Mood B. Lovell 
William Morgfeteroid 
David H. Miller 
Moses Pearce 
James Roberts 
Jigped Smith 
Peter R. Stites 
Josiah Willard 



7, 



Roll of Captain Robert C. Barton's Company of the 
Fourth U. S. Regiment. 
For December and November, 1811. 
Robert C. Barton, Captain. 
Abraham Hawkins, Second Lieutenant. 
Orange Pooler, Sergeant. 
Marshall S. Durkee, Sergeant. 
William Turner, Corporal, wounded Nov. 7, 1811. 
Horace Humphrey, Corporal. 
Daniel Kellog, Drummer. 



PRIVATES 

John Adrickson 
Phillip Coats 



PRIVATES 

Jesse C. Clark 

Robert Douglas, wounded Nov. 
7, 1811. 
William Foster, wounded Nov. Ichabald Farmer 

7, 1811. 
John D. Jones David Kervus, killed Nov. 7, 

1811. 



PIONEER HISTORY OF INDIANA. 



305 



Isaac Little 

John McArthur 

Silas Perry 

Samuel Souther, wounded Nov^ 

7, 1811. 
Lewis Ta.vlor, killed Nov. 7, 

1811. 
Georgfe Wilson 
Thomas Clark 



Timothy McCoon 
Joseph Polland 
William Stevenson 
, Rowland Sparrowk 

Leman E. Welch, killed Nov. 

7, 1811. ■ 
Henry Bates 



Roll of Company of Infantry of the Fourth U. S. Regi- 
ment. 
October 31, to December 31, 1811. 

Chailes Fuller, First Lieutenant, Commanding. 

Nathan F. Adams, First Lieutenant and Paymaster. 

John L. Eastman, First Lieutenant. 

Georg-e P. Peters, Second' Lieutenant. 

Isaac Ricker, Serg-eant. 

David H. Lewis, Serg-eant. 

James Pike, Serg:eant. 

Jedediah Wentworth, Corporal. 

Henry Moore, Corporal. 

Solomon Johnson, Corporal. 

Henry Tucker, Corporal. 

Nathan Brown, Musician. 

Joel Durell, Musician. 



PRIVATES 

John Adams 
William Brown 
John Burns 

Samuel Cook 
Ivory Courson 
Elisha Dyer 
Johnathan Elkins 
John S. Gordon 



PRIVATES 

William Andrews 

William Bowles 

Joseph Burditt, killed Nov. 7, 

1811. 
Caleb Pritchett 
Samuel Coffin 
Jeremiah Emmerson 
Noah Turnwald 
William Gregs 



306 



PIONEER HISTORY OF INDIANA. 



Joseph Farrow 

Solomon Herthford 

Johnathan W. Ham 

Steven Harris 

Nathan Harris 

James Heath 

Amos Jones 

Willliam King, killed Nov, 

1811. 
Asa Knight 
William La3'man 
James McDufFy 
Jerry Malthup 
Henry Nutter 
William Perkins 
Curtis Pipps 
John Rice 
John M. Rowlins 
Isaac Tutle 
Ichabold Wentworth 
Enoch Werthon 
Silas Wood 
Timothy Waldron 
Phillip Allen 



Robert Gordon 
William Ham 
Steven Hawkins 
John Hurd 
Joseph Hunt 
David Heath 
Samuel King 
7, Jacob Keyser 

Joseph La)'man 
Joseph Mears 
Robert Macintosh 
Isaac Nuts, killed Nov. 7, '11, 
Richard Perry 
Jacob Pearsey 
John Rowell 
Steven Ricker 
Stanton Smiley 
John S. Watson 
Robert Whitehouse 
John Welch 
Charles Wait 
Zadock Williams 



Roll of a Company of Infantry Under the Command of 
Lieut. O. G. Burton of the Fourth U. S. Regiment. 

From October 31, to December 3, 1811. 
O. G. Burton, First Lieutenant. 
Georg-e Gooding, Second Lieutenant. 
Montgomery Orr, Sergeant. 
Knewland Carrier, Sergeant. 
Major Mantor, Sergeant. 

James Mitchell, Corporal, (killed in action Nov. 7, 1811.) 
David L. Thompson, Corporal. 
Lucius Sallis, Corporal. 



PIONEER HISTORY OF INDIANA. 



307 



William Durnon, Corporal. 
Ellas Printice, Musician. 

PRIVATES 

Leonard Arp 

Amost Blanchard 

Levi Carre}', kille 1 Nov. 7, 

1811. 
Zenas Clark 

Issacher Green 
William Kinjj 
Joseph Russell 

John Spergen 
Samuel B. Spalding 
Samuel Tibbets 
Alexander Bowen 



PRIVATES 

Noyes Billings 

Caleb Boston 

Johnathan Crewell, killed Nov. 

7, 1811. 
Daniel Oilman, killed Nov. 7, 

1811. 
Thomas Harvey 
William Pomeroy 
James Stevenson, mortally 

wounded Nov. 7, 1811. 
William Sergeant 
Morton ThaN'er 
John Vicker}^ 



Roll of a Company of Riflemen of the Rifle Regiment 

U. S. Army. 
From October 31, to December 31, 1811. 

A. Hawkins. Lieutenant, Commanding. 

Peter Wright, Sergeant. 

Reuben Newton. Sergent 

Aaron W. Fashbush. Sergeant. 

James Phillips. Sergeant. 

Henry Baker, Corporal. 

Aaron Melen. Corporal. 

William Hunter. Corporal. 

Henry Nurchstead, Ensign. 

Adam Walker, Musician. 



PRIVATES 

Ebenezer T. Andrews 
John fiverin 

Steven Brown 



PRIVATES 

Otis Andrews 

William Brigham, died from 

wounds. 
William Brown 



308 



PIONEER HISTORY OF INDIANA. 



Samuel Big-g-s 

Joseph Datton 

Francis Ellis 

James Haskel, killed Nov. 7, 

1811. 
Samuel Johnson 
Patrick Norton 
Fredrick Roads 
Thaddeus B. Russell 
Francis Rittiere 
Samuel Hing- 



Robert Cutter 
Reuben Durant 
Thomas Hair 
Ephraim Hall 



Silas Kendle 

Israel Newhall 

Marcus D. Ransdill 

William Read 

Edward R. Seeck 

Ira D. Trowbridge, killed Nov. 

7, 1811. 
Ezra Wheelock . 
The rollfof General Harrison's army in the Tippecanoe 
campaign was copiyed from the muster rolls in Washington 
D. C. in 1866, at that time some of the names were hard to 
make out. 



Neham Wetherill 



CHAPTER XI. 



INDIANA'S TRIBUTE TO KENTUCKY. 



Blood is thicker than water and in the veins of Indiana's 
children flows the blood of the brave Kentucky emig-rants. 
Forgetful and thankless indeed would we be did we not keep 
the sacred fires of memory burning upon the alter of our ap- 
preciation — appreciation of those finer ties of kindship which 
have w^oven the experiences of these two magnificent states 
into a common histor3\ Amid the bus}', absorbing scenes of 
the present and the dawning visions of a still greater future, 
we need some fair muse of historj' to take us b}' the hand and 
lead us back for a season under the dark, dense, primeval for- 
ests, and sitting down with us on the fallen trunk of a great 
oak, point out and name the heroic figures which pass by 
with stealthy tread, and there tell us again of the birth and 
childhood of our States. "Great God of Hosts, be with us 
yet, lest we forget — lest we forget." 

Kentucky, when thy brave children crossed the Ohio and 
pierced our tangled wilderness, here on the hills and in the 
valleys of Indiana many of th}- sons poured out their life blood 
and many were burned at the stake. Thy fair daughters, 
too, were led as prisoners by the savage Indians and sold to 
the unprincipled British Officers of Canada — doomed to slav- 
ery and a life worse than death. A race less noble would 
have shrunk back at the awful sacrifice. Not so with thee, 
for thy offering was unceasing until from th}- bosom thou 
didst send us such men as Boone, Clark, Hopkins, Scott, and 
Shelbey to lead the hosts of Kentucky's heroes in defense of 
Indiana's soil. Thy pure and noble .Owen and thy gifted 
patriot, Davis, bled for our protection at Tippecanoe, when 



310 PIONEER HISTORY OF INDIANA. 

they, with a hundred others, led by Gen. Wells, dared to 
brave the terrible ordeals of that bloody battle. No one can 
lay the charge to thee that thou hast been miserly even with 
the choicest blood of thy chivalry. 

We cannot forg-et that thou gavest the world its match- 
less Clay and unto us our Lincoln — gifts for which unending- 
tribute shall be laid at thy feet. 

Again in those days when the sons of Indiana were pre- 
paring to cross thy soil to save the Union, true it is, that for 
a moment thou didst halt and turn thy face to the Southland 
with a look of anxious solicitude but in the next moment thou 
didst face to the North, look upon the starry emblem of the 
Nation's greatness and invite the boys in blue to cross thy 
borders. Yea, when the smoke of battle had lifted and we 
walked among the pale faces upturned to the stars, Lo! 
among the dead in blue were thousands of thine own brave 
sons and none had fallen nearer the ramparts of the foe. 

Yes, Kentucky, as green as the blue grass that tints thy 
everlasting hills, shall Indiana's tribute offering to thee be 
kept, and in her debt of gratitude shall she give thee first 
place for thy priceless gifts as yet unsung but not forgotten. 



CHAPTER XII. 



FURTHER HISTORY OF TECUMSEH AND THE 

PROPHET. 



In the chapter entitled the battle of Tippecanoe an early 
histor}' of the noted Indians, Tecumseh and the Prophet is 
g-iven. That history is carried down to August the 5th, 
1811, when Tecumseh started south to lay his plans of con- 
federation before the southern Indians and induce them to 
join the northern Indian Confederation. Tecumseh's whole 
aim and ambition after the defeat of the Indians by General 
Wayne at the battle of the Maumee, was to bring- all the In- 
dians in America, west of the Alleghany Mountains into one 
great confederation. He contended that the Great Spirit had 
given the Indian race the hunting grounds to hold in common 
for the use of all and that no tribe or nation of Indians could 
make any cession or treaty of any of the lands without all the 
tribes in council would sanction the agreement. 

But little is known of Tecumseh's visit south more than 
what has come through tradition. At Taledega in 1811 in 
the last visit Tecumseh made to the southern Indians, when 
he was making a speech before the vast numbers, Weather- 
ford, the great Chief of the Creek Nation asked him why he 
did not bring all his 3'oung men from the north, east and 
west and concentrate them at points on the Ohio river and 
drive the Long Knives back, Tecumseh answered — "All the 
Indians must work in the same yoke. They must show the 
white man that they are in earnest, not for booty, not for 
scalps — No! Nol^but for the country they were born in and 



312 PIONEER HISTORY OF INDIANA. 

the countr}' the bones of their fathers lay in. There has al- 
ready been too much partisan warfare. It must be made 
general and alone for the purpose stated. Then all just men 
will be our friends." 

Tecumseh was probably the most noted Indian that was 
known to the white race. His great power b3' his unequalled 
oratory, combined with an intelligent and a farseeing mind 
was the reason for the influence b}' which he held such con- 
trol of the different nations which surrounded him. Tradi- 
tion holds that the Shawnee Nation of which he was a dis- 
tinguished member had lived far to the south, that the game 
becoming scarce in the land where they lived, the Nation 
came up the Mississippi and Ohio rivers and settled in and 
around that section of southern Illinois where Shawneetown 
is located. From there the}^ moved to the Wabash and to 
the waters of the White river. This tri^e of Indians was al- 
ways the most determined enem)' the whtie man had and carried 
on a relentless warfare with them and were regarded as the 
bravest of all the Indians in battle. The Shawnee language 
was the most musical in its articulation of an}^ spoken by the 
aboriginal race and the speeches made by Tecumseh, had an 
effect on its hearers that was wonderful. His oratory was so 
eloquent in sound and his gestures so forceful that an}' one 
hearing him, if he did not understand a word he said, would 
be spell bound. At one of the last visits that Tecumseh made 
to Vincennes to hold a conference with Governor Harrison 
he was invited by Harrison to take a seat with him in a chair 
which stood on a low platform where the Governor, the In- 
terpreter and Secretary sat. Tecumseh hesitated but Harri- 
son insisted saying that it was the wish of their Great Fath- 
er, the President that he should do so. The Chief paused, 
raised his strong, commanding form to its greatest height 
and looking straight at the Governor, and pointing toward 
the skies with vehement gesture, said in a loud, musical voice 
^"The sun is my father — the earth is my mother and on her 
bosom I will recline." Then he and his warriors seated 
themselves on the earth. The speech and actions were elec- 



PIONEER HISTORY OF INDIANA. 313 

trical and everyone present felt the yfreatness of this wonder- 
ful barbarian. 

DeLome, who was a prisoner for many years and b\' the 
success of battle or by purchase was connected with many 
noted Indians, in his unpublished MSS jjives an account of a 
visit by Tecumseh and Francis (The Prophet) to the Osajje 
Indians in the west seme time in the fall of 1809 or '10 for 
the purpose of urging- them to join the g-reat Indian confed- 
eration that they were working- on. There was a v^er}' large 
gathering to hear the Shawnee Chief. The Council was con- 
vened and listened to his eloquent, tier}- oratory for more than 
two hours and became intensely wrought up by it. In fact sa 
great was the effect produced by the portrayal of the Indians' 
wrongs and the way, by cheating, designing and unfair 
means, the white man had gained possession of so much of 
the Indian country, that the head chief, for fear the Council 
would unanimousl}' endorse Tecumseh and join his confed- 
eration, as soon as he had finished speaking, adjourned the 
Council and advised those present to go to their homes and 
think over what their strange brother had so eloquently por- 
trayed to them. In the same connection DeLome says — "The 
occasion and subject were peculiarly adapted to call into ac- 
tion all the powers of genuine patriotism also the language, 
gestures, and feeling, contending for utterance, that were 
exhibited b}- this untuiored native of the forest, in the cen- 
tral wilds of America. No audience either in ancient or mod- 
ern times, ever before witnessed such an accasion." The 
Prophet the next day made a long speech and used nearly 
the same words Tecumseh had, but did not make the least 
impression on his audience. Some days after these events 
the Indians in Council decided to stand by their treaties with 
the Great Father and declined Tecumseh's invitation. 

Before Tecumseh had left dn his southern trip, he had a 
definite understanding with his brother, the Prophet, and 
the chiefs of the other tribes on the Wabash that nothing 
was to be done during his absence to bring on a collision 
with the white people. The great number of Indians assem- 
bled at the Propfhet's town became impatient to test the 



314 PIONEER HISTORY OF INDIANA. 

assured promises of the Prophet. The}' committed many 
pett}- offenses against the border settlements, stealing their 
horses and killing- their cattle and in some cases killing- and 
scalping- the unsuspecting people. This became so offensive 
that Harrison determined to put a stop to it and the battle of 
Tippecanoe was the result. 

Tecumseh on his return from the south, learning what 
had happened was overcome with chagrin, disappointment 
and anger, accusing his brother of duplicit}- and cowardice. 
He spent some time in negotiating through runners with 
•Governor Harrison to arrange for a visit for himself and a 
number of chiefs, to President Madison. Failing in this and 
other plans which he could not perfect, he went to Maiden 
and joined the British arm}-. 

At the beginning of the war of 1812, Tecumseh was 
ready for the coming conflict. Soon after he went to Maiden 
there was an assemblage of Indians at Brownstown who were 
in favor of standing aloof and letting the British and Amer- 
icans light it out. They sent a runner to Maiden and invit- 
ed Tecumseh to attend the gathering. He indignantly re- 
fused to have anything to do with the meeting, saying that 
he had taken sides with the king, his father, and would suf- 
fer his bones to bleach on that shore before he would recross 
the stream to take part in an}' council of neutrality. He was 
in the battle of Brownstown and commanded the Indians in 
an action near Magna ga where he was wounded. For brav- 
ery in that engagement he was made a Brigadier General in 
the British army and in the protracted siege of Ft. Meigs he 
acted with great bravery. After the telling defeat of Gen- 
eral Procter at Fort Stephenson the British troops returned 
by water to Maiden, while Tecumseh, with the Indians 
passed overland around the head of Lake Erie and rejoined 
the British at Maiden. Tecumseh became discouraged for 
the want of success, having lost all confidence in General 
Procter's ability and seriously meditated the withdrawal of 
his Indians from the service. Commodore Perry's victory 
was witnessed by the Indians from a distant shore. On the 
4ay after the engagement Proctor said to Tecumseh — "My 



PIONEER HISTORY OP INDIANA. 315 

fleet has whipped the Americans but the vessels being- much 
injured, have gone to Put-in-Bay to retit and will be here in 
a few daj's." This deception was not of long- duration. 
Tecumseh soon saw indications of a retreat from Maiden and 
promjitly intjuired into the matter. General Procter informed 
him that he was going- to send his valuable stores up the 
Thames where they would be met with reinforcements and be 
safe. Tecumseh was not to be fooled b}' such a shallow device 
and remonstrated most earnestly against retreating. He 
finally demanded that the Indians in his command be heard by 
Procter and delivered to him as the representative of his Great 
Father, the king the following speech: "Father, listen to your 
children. You have them now before you. The war before 
this you gave the hatchet to your Red Children. Then our 
Great Chiefs were alive — now the}' are dead. In that war our 
Father was thrown on his back by the Americans and made a 
treaty with them of mutual friendshi]> without consulting his 
Red Children and we are afraid that our Father will do 
so at this time. Summer before last, when I came forward 
wiih my red brethren and was ready to take up the haichei in 
favpr of the British Father, we were told not to be in a hurry 
— that he had not yet decided to iighi the Americans. Listen! 
When war was declared our Father stood up and gave us the 
tomahawk and told us that he was then ready to light and 
strike the Americans — that he wanted our assistance and 
that we would certainly get our land back that the Amer- 
icans had taken from us. Listen! You told us at that time 
to bring forward our families and we did so and you prom- 
ised to take care of them, that they should want for nothing 
while the men went to fight the enemy — that we need not 
trouble ourselves about the enemy's garrisons, that we knew 
nothing about them and that our Father would attend to 
that part of the business. Listen! You also told your Red 
Children that you would take good care of your garrison here 
which made our hearts glad. Listen! When we were last at 
the Rapids it is true that we g-ave you but little assistance. 
It is hard to fight people who live like groundhogs. Father, 
Listen! Our fleet has gone out. We know they fought— we 



316 PIONEER HISTORY OF INDIANA. 

have heard the great guns but know nothing- of what has- 
happened to our Father with the one arm (Commodore Bar- 
claAO. Our ships have gone one way and we are much aston- 
ished to see our Father tying up everything and preparing- 
to run away the other way, without letting- his Red Children 
know what his intentions are. You always told us to remain 
here and take care of our land. It made our hearts glad to 
hear that was your wish. Our Great Father, the King-, is 
the head and you represent him. You always told us that you 
would never draw your foot off British g-round but now 
Father, we see you are drawing- back and we are sorry to see 
our Father do so without seeing the enemy. We must com- 
pare our Father's conduct to a fat dog- that carries its tail on 
its back but when frightened drops it between its legs and 
runs • away. Father, listen! The Americans have not de- 
feated us yet by land neither are we sure that they have done 
so by water. We wish to remain here and fig-ht our enemy 
should they make their appearance. If they defeat us we 
will retreat with our father. Listen! At the battle of the 
Rapids in the last war, the Americans certainly defeated us 
and when we retreated to our Great Father's fort, at that 
place, the g-ate was shut against us and we are afraid it 
would now be the same, but instead of that we now see our 
British Father preparing to march out of his garrison. 
Father, you have the arms and the amunition which our 
Great Father sent for his Red Children. If you have an 
idea of going away, give them to us. You ma}" go and wel- 
come. Our lives are in the hands of the Great Spirit. We 
are determined to defend our land and if it be His will, we 
wish to leave our bones upon it." 

When Tecumseh went into the battle of the Thames he 
had a strong presentiment that he would not survive that 
engagement. He had but little hope of victory but resolved 
to win or die. With this determination he took his stand 
among his men, raised the war-cry and boldly met theenem}^ 
From the commencement of the attack on the Indian line his 
voice was distinctly heard b}^ his followers animating them 
to deeds of valor. From the start he was in the thickest of 



PIONEER HISORY OF INDIANA. 317 

the fijfht, doinjf ever3'thing' he could to encourag-e his men to 
stem the tide of the encroaching" Americans. When his voice 
was no long-er heard the battle ended as the British had sur- 
rendered some time before. But a little way from the bod)' 
of the g:reat Tecumseh was found that of his friend and 
brother-in-law, Waseg"oboah. These two heroic Indians on 
many battle fields had foug-ht side by side. Now, in front of 
their men they closed their eventful lives at the battle of the 
Thames, October the 5th, 1813. 

The Prophet, Elkswatawa. after the defeat of his mis- 
g-uided adherents at the battle of Tippecanoe, settled with a 
band of Wyandotte Indians some distance south of the Wa- 
bash river. Remaining- there for a while he then took up his 
residence with a small band of Hurons farther north where 
he remained until 1812. He then went to Maiden and was in 
the British service in man}' capacities. Probably the most 
that he did was to organize raiding parties to murder the in- 
habitants on our frontiers. For this ignominious service, the 
British Government felt so grateful that they gave him a 
pension from 1813 as long as he lived. After the war he 
lived in Canada for several years, then went back to the 
neighborhood of his old haunts. Here he remained for a 
short period and moved to the west of the Mississippi, where 
he spent his old age with a band of the once powerful Shaw- 
nee Indians, until 1834, when he died. 



CHAPTER XIII. 



PIONEER INDUSTRIES. 



Crude Farming Implements and Cooking Utensels — Mil- 
ling — Flax Industry — Loom — Whipsaw — Shoe Mak- 
ing — Rope Walk — Bee Hunting — Witchcraft. 



In the pioneer days there was no wagon or blacksmitn 
shop in the country and the early settlers had to depend on 
their own resources for such farming^ tools as they needed. 
They made a very serviceable plow with a wooden moldboard. 
The plowshare, point and bar were of iron all in one piece. 
Three short bolts, two for the moldboard and one to fasten 
the handle to the heel of the bar, and one long bolt from the 
bottom of the share up through che plow sheath to the top 
of the beam, was all the iron about the plow, and that cost 
more than the best two horse plow would cost now. 

The wooden moldboard was made of the best hard wood 
obtainable. White Oak was often used. Post oak was the 
hardest of any and when dried was* the smoothest. After 
fashioning the moldboard it was dressed down to the proper 
size and shape and then placed in the chimney above the fire 
to season. The stock was made of the best hard wood and 
much after the fashion of today onl}- not so smooth nor in 
any way finished as well, but it was strong and serviceable. 

They had a very serviceable harrow made entirely of 
wood. They secured a slippery elm or iron-wood if the}^ 
could find any large enough and cut four pieces the proper 



PIONEER HISTORY OF INDIANA. 319 

length for an A harrow, first slopinjj the two side pieces at 
one end and fittinji' them to the center or tonj^ue piece, a hole 
having- been bored through each of the three pieces, and 
securely pinning them together. A cross piece was then 
placed about the middle of the harrow^ and pinned to the cen- 
ter and the two side pieces. Two inch auger holes were then 
bored along the two side pieces about ten inches apart and 
filled with dried hickor}' pins that extended about eight 
inches below the side timbers, thus making a harrow that did 
good work and required a heavy pull to break in any way. 

For single and double trees they made them much after 
the fashion of today, except that the clips, devices and lap 
rings were made of hickory withes, which if properly made 
would last for a season. The horse collars were made mostly 
of corn shucks platted in large rope-like sections and sewed 
together hard and fast with leather thongs, to make the 
bulge or large part of the collar, short pieces of platted 
shucks were made and fastened as high up as needed. A roll 
made b}- sewing two platted parts together was securely 
fastened on the edge of the collar forming a groove for the 
hames to fit in. The}' also made collars of raw hide, cutting 
it in the proper shape and sewing the edges together, stuff- 
ing the inside with deer hair to make it hold its shape. Hoop 
ash timber was pounded up fine and when mixed with deer 
hair made a better material for the purpose than the manu- 
factured excelsior of today. 

The bridle was made of raw hide. For a bit they took a 
small hickory withe, made a securely fastened ring on both 
ends of it, leaving enough of the withe between the rings to 
go into the horse's mouth and wrapping that portion with 
raw hide to keep the horse from biting it in two. They then 
fastened the head stall and reins to the rings. 

A bridle was made very quickly by securing a piece of 
raw hide long enough for the reins, then putting the leather 
in the horse's mouth and looping it around his lower jaw just 
back of his front teeth, with this a horse was guided better 
and with more ease than with the bridle bit. 

Hames were made fri)m the lower part of the tree, in- 



320 PIONEER HISTORY OF INDIANA. 

eluding- a part of the root for the proper crook. After the}^ 
were dressed and made the right shape and size, holes for the 
top hame string- were bored throug-h if the}' had an auger, if 
not, they were burned through with a small piece of iron. 
For the hame hook two small holes were made and a strong- 
piece of leather was fitted into the holes and properl)^ fas- 
tened. To this loop the tug-s were fastened. The holes for 
the bottom hame string-s were made in the same wa}', as the 
upper ones. 

A wag-on that was termed a truck was made by cutting 
four wheels from a large tree, usually a black g-um. A four- 
inch hole was made in the middle of the wheels in which ax- 
les fitted. Then splitting- a tough hickory or white oak pole 
three or four feet at the big- end, spreading these split pieces 
apart about fifteen inches, and boring two holes through the 
front axle and the two ends of the tong-ue, they then fitted a 
piece called a sand board over the ends of the tong-ue with 
holes in it to correspond with those in the axle. Having 
pinned it all securely tog-ether, they fastened the end to the 
front end of the wag-on. A coupling pole was fitted into the 
center of the two axles and pinned there. Heavy bolsters 
were put on over the axles and on them a board bed was 
made. Oxen were the usual teams that were hitched to 
these crude but serviceable wag-ons. A heavy wooden yoke 
went on the oxen's neck. Two hickory bows enclosed the 
neck and up throug-h the top of the yoke, thus fastening- the 
two oxen together. There was a hole made in the middle of 
the yoke and a strong- hickory withe was fastened into it 
with a loop for the end of the tongue. A better ring was 
made for the tong-ue and fastened to the yoke by twisting 
into a strong cord a heavy rope of raw hide. The tong-ue 
was put into this ring- and a pin of wood put throug-h the end 
of the tongue before and behind the ring-; the oxen were thus 
enabled to haul the wag-on. These wagons were very service- 
able for hauling- wood, gfathering- corn, and for many other 
purposes on the farm. They were very musical as well, for 
the more grease one put on the wooden axle to make it run 



PIONEER HISTORY OF INDIANA. 321 

lig-hter, the more it would squeak and squeal, making a noise 
that could be heard a mile. 

The pitch forks for all purposes on the farm were made 
of wood. A joung- forked dogwood sapling- was secured, the 
bark taken off and the two forks pointed for tines and this 
made a good fork. Some fift}' jears ago I saw an old four 
pronged fork that was made in a circular head of wood with 
four prongs taken from' the antlers of an elk, that was useful 
for many purposes. 

Wooden rakes were made of strong seasoned wood, some 
of them being made by fitting the head piece with deer horns 
and they made very useful implements. A good spade was 
made of hickory, fashioning it after the useful form of a 
spade and if properh* seasoned and kept well oiled this tool 
would do good work as long as wanted. 

Sleds were made in many ways and were universally used 
by all who had either oxen or horse teams. 

In early times the hickory withe and deer hides were 
used for all purposes on the crude farming implements as is 
the binder twine and fencing wire of this period. 

The pioneer women who came to the wilderness of Ind- 
iana had very few utensils they could use for cooking. The 
older sections they had emigrated from were (luite distant 
from their new homes and if they had the different dishes 
and vessels to bring it was hard work to bring them for very 
few of them came in wagons or carts but mostly on horse- 
back. There were many who walked all the way and had 
only such things as the}" could carry. In fact, at the begin- 
ning of the ninetee.ith century in some of the older states, 
cooking utensils were not plentiful and the)' were ver}- high 
priced and hard to get. The reader must take into consider- 
ation that this country was just beginning to gather strength 
after the great war of the Revolution, when our finances 
were completely wrecked. There was almost no money and 
the continental script was worthless. Mrs. Nancy (Tullick, 
related to me that when she was a grown woman in the 
neighborhood where she lived, there was not more than one 
vessel for cooking in any home and that was nearly always a 



322 PIONEER HISTORY OF INDIANA, 

s'fillet and a lid. Often the lid was broken and the skillet 
nicked. Many of those who had cabins did not have any sort 
of vessel to cook in unless it was an earthen pot which had 
been made by the owner out of clay and burned as hard as it 
could be. Since there was no glazing-, when boiling anything 
that had grease in it, there was nearly as much fat on the 
outside as there was inside. So much came through 
the pores that after the first fire to boil the pot, there was 
not much more needed for the fat "on the outside was con- 
stantly on fire. In the skillet, all the meat had to be cooked 
on the hearth before a blazing fire, the cook having to stoop- 
half bent and attend to the meat. The bread was baked in 
the same skillet, if not on a Johnn)^-cake board that was made 
for this purpose about ten inches wide and fifteen inches long 
and rounding at the top end. The corn dough was made 
thick and put on the board which was placed against a chunk 
of wood near the fire. After one side was baked to a nice 
brown, it was turned over and the other side was baked in 
the same way. This was called a Johnny-cake. If a board 
was not at hand, a hoe without its handle was cleaned and 
greased with bear's oil. Then the dough was put on the hoe 
blade the same as on the board and baked^this was called a 
hoe cake. When they had neither Johnny cake board nor 
hoe, a place was cleaned on the hearth under the edge of the 
fire, the dough wrapped in cabbage leaves or fresh corn 
shucks and laid on the hot hearth and covered with hot emb- 
ers. This was called an ash cake. The bread from any of 
these ways of cooking was good, even delicious. 

A little later on more iron vessels were brought into the 
country and the dinner pot that held about two gollons with 
a lid and three short legs and an ear on each side for the 
hinged hooks to fit in. came into use. It was a great im- 
provement over the old vessels and enabled them to boil the 
meat instead of alwavs having to fry or roast it. A pole was 
put above the fire from jamb to jamb and a hook was put on 
it, sometimes several of them of different lengths. The 
hooks which were fitted in the ears of the pot were hung on 
these hooks holding the pot over the fire. In this pot meat 



PIONEER HISTORY OF llNDIANA. 323 

and vej^fetables could be well cooked. While these people had 
only a very primitive way of preparing- the food, they cooked 
it well and I doubt if any ag-e in this country's history will 
see another time when such delicious meats were served or a 
peoi)le who so thorouj^hly enjoyed their food. The country 
was so ubundantly supjjlied with all sorts of g-ame that all 
could have a bountiful supply. The usual dish for break- 
fast was fried turkey breast and slices of venison; for dinner 
the loin of a fat deer cooked with potatoes; for supper or the 
eveninjjf meal usually the meats were roasted. These dishes 
of food served with Johnny cake seasoned with the rich gravy 
of these meats, were certainly a repast which would satisf3' 
the most exacting epicure. 

I can't determine the date when stoves came into general 
use but as late as 1820 there were but few stoves in use and I 
very much doubt if one of every twenty families in Indiana 
had any idea of how to cook and prepare food in any other way 
than I have described, up to 1835. 

Possibly they were not so careful in appealing to the eye 
then as now but I am sure the dishes were prepared better 
than they are now and tasted just as well and I think better. 
There were no sweets nor pastries and biscuits were a luxury 
that were served only on Sunday mornings. 

THE MILLING INDUSTRY. 

After the first few years of the early settlement of this 
country, there has been some kind of mill that ground for 
toll. In 1808 Judge Isaac Montgomery built a horse mill on 
his farm about one mile southwest of the court house in 
Princeton, Indiana. In 1810 Jesse Kim )all, the grandfather 
of the Jesse Kimball, of Princeton. Indiana, of today, built a 
flutter wheel water mill on Bl ick river abjut six miles south 
of Owensville, Indiana and ground corn for himself and few 
neighbors for several years. Mr. Kimball came to that neigh- 
borhood in 1804 from the Red Banks now Henderson, Kenr 
tucky, and took the burrs with him from Henderson with a 
horse in shafts and a pole through the stones for an axle. 
One of the stones is now, 1*M>5, in the possession of Mr. 



324 PIONEER HISTORY OF INDIANA. 

Edwad Knowles who is ov^er eig^ht)' 3'ears old and lives on 
part or the old Kimball farm. 

The Indians were very numerous when Mr. Kimball first 
settled there but he got along with them, only at such times 
as he was unable to meet their demands for whiskej^ The 
Indians finally determined to kill him and he was decoyed 
awa}' from his cabin b)' what he thoug^ht was the call of a 
wild turke}' but which proved to be an Indian and he was en- 
abled to get back onl}- b}' dodg-ing- from tree to tree in a zig-- 
zag- manner. However they watched their opportunity and 
burned his cabin. While he was in hiding- he saw them hold 
a pow-wow, then a war dance around his little home, and 
finally set it on fire. In 1813 he built a horse mill that was 
operated up to 1838. 

Major David Robb in 1814 built a small overshot mill on 
Robb's Creek near where the town of Hazleton now stands. 
It was a very successful undertaking- and a few years later 
he built a much larg-er mill on the same site, carrying- two 
burrs. A few years after this he added a department for 
making- lumber. These ventures were all very successful. 

In 180*> Robert Falls built a horse mill near the center of 
what is now Washing-ton township, in Gibson count3% that 
did g-ood work and was well patronized. 

In 1820, Jacob Boiity bailt a little mill on the Smith's 
Fork of Pigeon creek in Barton township. Gibson Co. This 
mill was operated for thirty years and was a g-reat help to 
the surrounding- country. 

In 1824 Henry Miley built a horse mill near Petersburg-, 
Pike county, Indiana. In 1830, Jacob Stuckey built a g-rist 
and saw mill at Petersburg-, and there were many little horse 
mills built in the settled sections of the state from 1820 up to 
1830, but they were of only local importance. 

The tub mills consisted of an uprig-ht post with a row of 
cog-s around the lower end. The top end carried the top 
stone. There was a larg-e wheel that was made with cogfs to 
fit into those of the post. Buckets or boxes were made all 
around the outside of the tub. The water was let in from a 
wicket in the dam about three feet below the water level of 



PIONEER HISTORY OF INDIANA. 325 

the (lam, and ran ajj;-ainst the buckets on the outside of the 
tub, thus i^uttinji- the wheel in motion. These mills were 
very easily made. An overshot mill was made with a per- 
pendiculai shaft that carried the mill stone on the upper end. 
There was a larjje horizontal wheel run by the side of the up- 
rig-ht shaft that had slantingf cojfs that fitted into those 
around the main shaft. The water ran over the dam and 
fell on the buckets and boxes made on the outside of the 
wheel thus puttinjj: it in motion and it ran the uprij^fht post 
at a g-ood rate of speed. An undershot mill was made the 
same wa\', only the water was run against the drum wheel 
from below the water level and turned the wheel the opposite 
way from the overshot. 

A flutter mill was made by the water falling ag-ainst the 
paddles which put the main shaft in motion by cogs the same 
as the last two described. Horse mills were made in many- 
ways. The only one I ever saw was constructed in a very 
simple manner. The main shaft which was an upright post 
had a small wooden pulh' on it about six feet from the ground. 
The post that was turned by the horse had a largfe wooden 
pulley or hoop about six feet from the ground. A band or 
belt of a raw hide was put around both of the posts on the 
pulleys. The horse was hitched to an arm which was fasten- 
ed into the post with the large pulley and as he went around, 
the main shaft ran v ery fast. The g^rinding was done on a 
floor just above the belt. 

Usuallv the miller measured the grain and poured it into 
the hopper, then with the toll box took out the toll for grind- 
ing. At water mills where permission to build was granted 
under territory or state laws, I think the toll was one-sixth 
but the toll at horse mills and afterwards at steam mills was 
fixed by the owners, about one-fourth usually. There were 
then as there always have been people who claimed that the 
miller took too much toll and most of those who owned mills 
were on the black list for honesty. 

After there was a steam mill at Princeton, Ind., an old 
fellow living near there had to have milling done. He was so 
situated that he could not go so he prepared his corn and sent 



326 PIONEER HISTORY OF INDIANA. 

his bo)' a g"ood sized lad and told him to watch the miller, for 
if he didn't he would steal all his corn. When the lad got to 
the mill he had to wait a good while for his turn to come. 
During- that time he never lost sight of his sack. Finally 
the miller poured the corn into the hopper and laid the sack 
down. The bo}' watched him and as soon as the sack was 
laid down he snatched it up and ran to his horse and home as 
fast as he could go. His father seeing him coming in such a 
hurr)' went out and said — -"Johnn}', where is your meal and 
why are you riding so fast?" He told his father — ''The old 
rascal stole every grain of the corn and aimed to keep the 
sack but I watched him and as soon as he laid it down I got 
it and ran home." 

The doggerel verses below are something like I ased to 
hear when I was a mill boy: 

The miller must have a pen of hogs 

And they were always very fat. 
It was uncertain, says the song. 

Whose corn they alwa3-s ate. 

The miller was an important man. 
He'd make the meal that fed them all 

If you objected to his plan 

He'd even up if it took all fall. 

His toll box bottom was very thin. 
They- always heaping measures took 

You couldn't always be in time 

And if )'OU were 3'ou hardh' dared to look. 

Some time after this there were three mills built on the 
Patoka river, one at Columbia now Patoka, one at Kirksville, 
built by Mason Kirk and one at Winslow, built by John 
Hathawa}'. These mills were a great improvement on the 
ones I have been describing. They all ground wheat as well 
as corn but they ground very slowly when compared with 
the mills of this date. It often took two full days to get 
one's grinding done as one had to wait one's turn. In grind- 



PIONEER HISTORY OF INDIANA. 327 

in^ wheat the bran and flour all fell into the chest together 
and the_v had an arrangement for bolting much the same 
as is now used for screening wheat and it turned in the same 
way. The machine was covered with bolting cloth, but one 
had to bolt one's own flour. This was not hard work but it 
was not necessary- to ask a person who had been turning that 
bolting machine where he had been for his clothes had enough 
of flour on them to make a pone of bread. 

THE FLAX INDUSTRY.. 

The flax industry was very important to the early set- 
tlers as it formed the chain for all the fabrics woven and 
often the chain and filling until later on when cotton was 
raised. When the flax harvest was ready it was pulled and 
tied into bundles. These bundles were taken to a suitable 
place and spread in a thin swath on the ground and left there 
until the sun and the rain made the wood in the stem brittle, 
then it was taken to the flax brake and thoroughly broken on 
that machine, until the woody parts had all been loosened 
and most of it had fallen through the brake. It was then 
taken to the scutching board and with the aid of the scutch- 
ing knife was thoroughly swingled and cleaned of everything 
but the flax fiber. It was then well hatcheled when it was 
ready for the distaff and to be spun into thread on the little 
wheel. 

A flax brake was made by using two thick blocks of 
wood about eignteen inches long with two posts in each block, 
two feet and a half long for legs, then four bars or slats six 
inches wide and one inch thick shaved smooth with a draw- 
ing knife. These slats were about six feet long and fitted 
into mortises made in each block leaving an opening between 
them of about one inch and a quarter. Then another frame 
was made the same way, only the three slates that were in it 
came below the blocks some two inches and fitted in the open 
space between the slats of the first set made. One end of 
this was fastened to the under machine by some kind of a 
hinge often made out of raw hide. The front end had a hole 
made in the middle slat that was made wider than its two 



328 PIONEER HISTORY OF INDIANA. 

mates, and this was used for a hand hold to lift the top brake 
b}'. The flax was put on top of the lower brake and was 
broken by the upper three slats and the work was well done. 
To work with a flax brake was hard labor but it was fast 
work only requiring- a little time to break all the flax needed 
for one family. 

The scutching board was a slab about four feet high 
driven into the ground. It was made perfectlj^ smooth with 
the drawing knife, the top end being broug-ht into a thin 
edge. In taking the flax from the brake it was thrashed over 
the end and around the post to free it from an}" of the woody 
stems left and finally finished with a scutching- or swingling- 
knife made of hickor}' about eighteen inches long, drawn to 
an edge on both sides. 

The hatchel was made b}- driving long spikes of steel 
through holes made in a heavy piece of plank about one foot 
long and eight inches wide. There were forty or fifty of 
these spikes in a hatchel. 

The distaff was fastened into an arm of the little wheel 
that went from the wheel bench and it stood about two feet 
away from the head of the wheel. The distaff was made out of 
a small dogwood bush, using the part where four small forks 
branch out from the main stem, which is the usual way this 
bush grows. The bush was cut two feet below the fork then 
all the prongs were cut off about fifteen inches long. The 
ends were then gathered to the middle stem and securely tied 
thus making a frame on which the flax was wrapped, ready 
for the spinning to commence. 

The one running the wheel with her foot on the treadle 
used both hands to size the flax so that it would make an 
even thread. The machinery of this little wheel ran very 
fast. I have spent hours when I was a little boy watching- 
my mother (God bless her memory) with both her hands full 
of flax, making it even for the spinning. 

The next machine was the reel. There were from four 
to eight arms or spokes to this machine and on the end of 
each spoke there was a small head something like a crutch 
head on which the thread was wound. The arms or spokes 



PIONEER HISTORY OF INDIANA. 329 

were fastened into a small hub which was fastened on a 
spindle on the side of the uprig-ht stock of the reel. Attach- 
ed to the spindle was a countinyf machine that counted the 
number of revolutions made. When it had turned over so 
many times it would strike and every time it struck, it had 
reeled a cut. Four of these cuts made a hank which was 
taken off and twisted to keep it from becoming^ tanj^led and 
put away for the winding: blades, to run on to spools for the 
warping bars or run on to little brooches or ([uills to be placed 
in the shuttles for filling. 

The pioneer women from the two Carolinas and Tennes- 
see who came in early times to Indiana brought cotton seed 
with them and planted them. Cotton would not bloom as 
well as it would where the seasons were warmer and longer 
but it made enough to aid them in making clothing. It was 
planted as early as it was safe to be free from frost and ten- 
ded well. It made a splended stalk but was lacking in bloom 
consequentl}' not many bolls or pods were formed. The cot- 
ton was g-athered and when dr}- wa^ seeded and was then 
ready for the cards to be made into rolls and spun into thread. 
When they had a sufficient (juantity of cotton thread it made 
the chain for their linsey cloth. 

THE LOOM AND WHIP SAW. 

The first looms in use in this counry were ver)^' crude 
affairs. For the foundation of the loom and to thoroughly 
brace it, two smooth poles were secured about six inches 
through at the top and put up slanting, usually in a shed 
room or a smoke house adjoining the cabin, one end resting- 
on the ground about eight feet from the wall, the other end 
pinned to the wall about seven feet up. These poles were 
set wide apart as wanted, usually about four and one-half 
feet. There were two other timbers placed i« the ground 
about two feet from the lower end of the two slanting timb- 
ers and pinned to them, extending up as high as wanted for 
the top of the loom. Two split pieces about two by six inches 
were pinned to^hese poles and extending back to the two 
slanting poles were pinned to them, thus forming the top of 



330 PIONEER HISTORY OF INDIANA. 

the loom. The roller for the gears and the two upright 
pieces for the cloth batten were fastened to the top pieces. 
The thread beam was fastened to the two pieces of timber 
that extended from the side timbers to the ground and the 
same was true of the cloth beam. The seat and the break 
beam were fastened to the two front upright posts. To the 
lower end of the timbers that held the thread beam in place, a 
•small roller was attached and to this roller the treadles were 
fastened. This made a very strong loom and it required 
very little time to make it. It was a very simple piece of ma- 
chinery yet it did its work well for its time and millions of yards 
of cloth were woven on such looms; but the coming of the 
square framed loom was a great blessing to all who had to 
depend on the loom for clothing. This machine is, to this 
day, made very nearly as it was seventy-five years ago and as 
there are several such looms in every neighborhood I shall 
not attempt to describe it. 

The dyeing of the chain and filling was a part of the 
.cloth manufacturing that added very much to the looks of 
,the clothing. In those early times all the coloring was done 
with different sorts of bark. The walnut bark and the hulls 
of the walnut made a very serviceable brown, often very 
nearly the color of the wool from a black sheep. Maple bark 
■mixed* with copperas made a very dark color almost black. 
Later the proverbial "old blue dye pot with a niche in the 
.top" came. Indigo and madder combined made a very pretty 
blue .that would hold as long as an}' of the cloth was left. 
Still later logwood and many other kinds of dye were used, 
■up to the time when the clothing or the cloth was purchased 
ifrom stoi:es. These old days with the stained hands of our 
rmothejs baye gone never to return and there will never be a 
time when sych a noble, self-sacrificing band of women will 
Uye, as those who trained the generation that has made this 
^CQVintr-y the Eden of the world. 

When ttie whip saw was introduced and put to work it 
was a great help to the new comer in securing material to 
finish his log house more comfortably and in supplying lum- 
.he.r foj the outbuildings. Timber of all kinds was of the 



PIONEER HISTORY OF INDIANA. 3.-^1 

best and the yellow jjoplar the one used most was very easy 
to saw. 

The whiji saw was a very simi)le device. In shape and 
in the handles it was much the same as the common cross cut 
saw of today. The teeth were so constructed and filed that 
it would cut the timber the long- wa)% the lo^ beinj^ i^laced 
on a scaffold. To keep- from having- the scaffold too higfh a 
pit was dug two or three feet deep for the under sawyer to 
stand in, the top sawyer standing on top of the log. The log- 
was first divided into slabs the thickness wanted for the 
width of the planks. The slabs were then turned on their 
sides and after the first one was taken off, a g-aug-e was used to 
govern the thickness of the plank, which was usually an inch 
and a quarter thick and any width required for their work. 
This was very slow work but as no one ever wanted a ver}' 
large amount of lumber, two men could soon saw from the 
soft timber a sufficient amount for all needs. 

The top sawyer was free from the dust and he had to 
look after the gauge used to make the plank the same thick- 
ness all along. The under sawyer was under the saw and 
all the saw dust fell on him and aside from holding the saw 
he had to keep his eyes and nose free from the dust. As the 
country was settled these saws were in great demand and a 
good saw pit scaffold was in constant use. 

The whip saw was brought into use when Abraham 
Lincoln's mother died in 1818, to rip planks from a black 
cherry log to make her coffin. It is a traditionally recorded 
that young Lincoln, then a lad only ten years old, sat on the 
door steps of their humble home, watching his father make 
the coffin out of the green lumber to bury his mother in, sad 
and grievously lamenting their poor and helpless condition 
to have to bury his noble mother so meanly. In after years 
when he was the greatest President the United States has 
ever had, he said to a friend "All I am or ever hope to be I 
owe to my angel mother." 

SHOE-MAKING. 

It was a long time after the country commenced to be 



332 PIONEER HISTORY OF INDIANA. 

settled before there was an}' attempt to make an}' other kind 
of shoes than moccasins and shoe pacs. This soft eas}' foot 
covering- was the best suited for the times and the business of 
those living- here. After a while the}- had leather of their 
own tanning other than deer and wolf hides. 

Nearly every man was an expert at making moccasins as 
the only thing- to do was to have a pattern of the rig-ht size. 
There were only two seams to sew up, but to make shoes that 
would have the right shape and be comfortable was another 
thing-. But as in every thing else they had the will and of 
course there is always a way. They cut blocks of soft tim- 
ber and fashioned a last the size they wanted for the feet, 
then secured a maple rail and cut blocks the right length for 
shoe pegs, made a supply of patterns and went to work at 
their new industry. They took the thick part of the cattle 
hides that they had tanned and cut soles and heel taps out of 
them. Then by the patterns cut the uppers, and sewed the 
back quarters and vamp tog-ether, then lasted the shoe and 
pegg-ed the soles and heels on. 

Mr. David Johnson at one time told me his experience 
with a pair of these newly tanned shoes which I will relate. 
He said that with the help of a man who had done some cob- 
bling before he came to this section, he made a pair of shoes 
and was very proud of them as he felt that he was g-etting- 
away from the savage age of the country. In dr}^ weather 
the shoes were all right and very comfortable. Unfortunately 
he went on a hunt that took him some distance from home 
where he intended to g-o into camp expecting- to kill a lot of 
game. Before he reached the place he wanted to locate the 
camp, a heavy rain set in and it rained all that day, every- 
thing- becoming very wet. He kept on for several miles in 
the rain but had not gone far until he felt his feet slipping 
about in the shoes as if there were room enough for a half 
dozen feet inside. He stood it as long as he could and select- 
ing a place to make a temporary camp, made a fire and pulled 
off his enlarged shoes, intending to dry them; but it kept up 
such a torrent of rain that he could keep but little fire. Next 
morning he determined to go home and putting as many 



PIONEER HISTORY OF INDIANA. 333 

leaves in his shoes as he could, walked three or four miles, 
when he found he could i^o no farther; so he stopped and re- 
solved to cut off the uppers and make a pair of moccasins. 
His foot he said looked like the end of an overturned canoe. 
He pulled them off, cut the uppers away from the sole and 
found that the uppers of one shoe would make a pair of moc- 
casins with some to spare. Gettinjr out his whang- leather 
he made the string-sand in a little while had a pair of mocca- 
sins made, put them on, and taking the odd shoe, started. 

Being tired when he reached home he made a pallet of 
skins and la}' down before the fire as all hunters did when 
they had wet feet. (It was believed that the heat bath that 
all hunters gave their feet was the only thing that kept them 
from becoming hopelessly crippled with rheumatism.) After 
thoroughly baking his feet at the fire, he thought he would 
put on his new moccasins and dr}' them on his feet, for he 
knew if the}- dried without something to hold them in shape 
they would shrink until they would be ruined. He was 
awakened from his sleep by his feet cramping as if in a vice 
and had to cut the moccasins off of his feet. 

A little later sole leather was brought from New Orleans 
and Philadelphia that sold for a very high price. The leather 
had been pressed and would hold its shape fairly well. The 
children and most of the women went barefooted as long as 
they could, usually until frost. There were men who went 
around from house to house making shoes and many a half 
g-rown bo}', as well as others, has been made glad by his com- 
ing. I can well remember when I have set for hours with my 
new wool socks on, when it was too cold to be out of doors, 
watching the old shoemaker, make shoes for the family. 
Commencing with the eldest, and going down according to 
the age, as I was near the foot of the line, I had to wait for 
some time for my turn to come; but as I now recall those days 
and how I felt on getting my new shoes, I think that nothing 
in the way of clothing- in all my life was so thoroughly en- 
joyed as were the new, warm shoes. The best of care was 
taken of the shoes as it was certain that one pair would have 
to lost until spring came. They were greased with coon and 



334 PIONEER HISTORY OF INDIANA. 

opossum oil to make them soft and with tallow to fill the- 
pores to keep the water out. In the earl}- thirties, pot metal 
boots, as the}' were called because of their being- so hard, 
were broug^ht on by the merchants and sold at eight and ten 
dollars a pair. One day's walking- in a pair of these boots 
would tire any man. When these heav}^, clums}^ boots are 
put in contrast with the eleg-antly shaped and made boots and 
shoes of this day, the g-reat improvement is ver}' apparent. 
There is no business in which there has been more improve- 
ments during the last seventy-five years than in the boot and 
shoe business. 

ROPE WALK. 

The first g-eneration after settling- in this country de- 
pended on the skins of animals and hickory withes to tie and- 
bind with. Later on there was plenty of flax and hemp rais- 
ed and when long ropes or twine were wanted a rope walk 
had to be constructed which was ver}' easily done in a crude 
manner, but it was all sufficient for making- any sort of twine, 
cording, and strong heavy ropes. A level piece of g-round 
was selected about two hundred feet long-. A heavy slab was 
put in the g-round at each end of the place selected, about 
five feet in height and twelve inches broad. A two inch 
aug-er hole was made in the center of each slab about three 
feet from the bottom. Into these holes were put pins with a 
shoulder on the outside end and a ke}^ to hold them in place 
on the inside To this pin a round wheel about eig^ht inches 
broad was fastened with a pin for a handle placed in a hole 
made for the purpose on the outside edg-e of the wheel. Along' 
the walk about twenty feet apart, smooth posts were set on 
each side about four feet from the center with a number of 
pegs driven on the side facing the walk. Along the center 
of the walk every twenty-five or thirty-five feet a slab was 
driven into the ground, standing about three feet high with 
a notch cut in the top end and made perfectly smooth. 

Whether made of hemp or flax, or of both, as was often 
the case, the bunch of tow or a draw-out end of it was fast- 
ened to the pin that the wheel was on and the wheel was 



PIONEER HISTORY OF INDIANA. 335- 

turned. One held the bunch of tow under his arm. using 
both hands to even the string as it was twisted, and as he 
passed the low post, put the cord in the notch on top of it, 
and when he had gone the length of the walk he tied the 
string to the end of the other wheel and turned it until the 
string or cord was twisted as hard as w^anted. Then it w^as 
taken off and tied to a peg on the sidepost at each end of the 
walk and lifted onto the pegs all along the line until there 
was enough strings to make a strand for a cord or rope, us- 
ually from three to live. Then all the strings were fastened 
to the ends of the wheels and twisted hard and tied back to 
the side stakes until three or five strands had been made. 
After this all the strands were tied to the wheels and twisted 
as hard as was wanted. The small cords were used for bed 
cords. They were either put through holes made in the end 
and side rail of the bed or put around pegs with heads driven 
into the rails to receive the cords. In making large ropes 
such as were used for check ropes or cables, eight 
strings were used for a strand and six strands for a rope. 
When made, this was strong enough to hold anything rea- 
sonable. When first made, the new rope was inclined to un- 
twist, but it was kept in a coil when not in use so that it 
would hold its twist. After it had been used a few times and 
thoroughly wet, there was no further trouble with it. 

When I was about ten years old I helped make a check 
rope for my father that he used on three or four trips for a 
check rope and cable on flatboats loaded with produce, pork, 
wheat, corn and venison hams that he loaded and ran from 
the place where the old town of Dongola stood on the Patoka 
river, to New Orleans. We made the rope on a walk that 
ran about two hundred feet south of the place where the Mis- 
sionary Baptist church now stands in Oakland City. We 
used the same walk for many years after that to make all 
sorts of ropes or cords needed for our home use, mostly for bed 
cords. One evening while at the World's Fair in St. Louis, 
as I was passing through the Philippine reservation looking 
at their primitive style of living and the sort of tools and im- 
plements they had to do with, I was very forcibly reminded 



336 PIONEER HISTORY OF INDIANA. 

that the)' were in the same road we had passed over. Many 
of their implements, tools and vessels for household work 
were about what were in use in this country a hundred years 
ag-o. In my ramble over their grounds I came to a rope walk. 
I felt at home, and being- interested at once in giving- it a 
careful investigation, I found that it was the same in ever)^ 
particular as the one I had worked with more than fifty 
5'ears ago. I then came to the conclusion that in their man- 
ner of living possibly they were not so far behind our people 
as I had thought them. I went over their exhibition pretty 
carefully and found many things that were used in this coun- 
try at an early date. One of them was a truck wagon they 
used with the water buffalo, but it was a very crude wagon, 
not nearl}' so good as the one I have described in this work. 
After getting home I looked up the history of the Philip- 
pine islands and found that for several hundred years they 
had made but little advance in any way except where the)" 
came in contact with the white race, and one display they 
made I was forcibly struck with — their display of sisal twine. 
I never saw anything to equal it. 

BEE HUNTING. 

Bee hunting was a very important part of the hunter's 
business and generally was very successfully carried on and 
usually quite profitable. A bee tree marked was worth one 
dollar in most sections of this country. The hunter would 
catch a bee and keep it a prisoner for a while and then it 
would fly away and nearly every time it flew to the tree it 
made its home in. Another way was to make up a bee bait 
of anything sweet, often a piece of honey comb with sweeten- 
ed water in it. They then made a little trough and put the 
bait in it and set it on a stump. The bees would find it in a 
little while and when loaded with the sweets would fly away 
to their tree which was some times a considerable distance 
away, but usually not more than two or three hundred yards. 
Still another way was to find a tree that they thought was 
probably a bee tree and then get in a position to view every 
part of it between the person hunting and the sun. If there 



PIONEER HISTORY OF INDIANA. 337 

were bees in it, they could be seen flying to and from the 
tree. When a bee tree was found, the next thing was to de- 
termine whether it was a strong colony or a weak one. If a 
strong- colony the tree would be cut as soon as the bee food 
commenced to be scarce. If it was thought to be a weak 
swarm it was let alone another year. The bee hunter's mark 
was as sacredly respected as was his mark on hogs or cattle. 
The honey was gathered and was a very helpful portion of 
the food. All that was over their needs was sold and the 
same was true of the bees wax after the honey was extracted. 

In the History of Gibson county, published by James T. 
Tartt & Co., I saw a statement that the honey bee was the 
fore-runner of civilization. It says — "The approach of the 
honey bee was alwaj's a sad harbinger for the Indians for 
they knew that the pale face was not far behind." I think 
that the author was misinformed of the facts in the case and 
instead of the honey bee being here only a little while before 
the white man came, they have been here ever since the 
country was suitable for their occupation, perhaps for a thous- 
and ages. M. Joliet, an agent for the French Colonial Gov- 
ernment and James Marquette a missionary and explorer in 
1670, as they were on an expedition to the Mississippi river 
and up and down that and other rivers, found the honey bee 
in many localities and used the honey for food. Again in a 
history given by Hunter DeMot of his captivity by the Indians 
and his life among them in 1725^ he says that the many years 
he traveled all over the north and from Pennsylvania to the 
Rocky mountains, the wild honey bee made its home in the 
hollow of the trees and that near the great prairies where 
such an abundance of flowers were, the bees filled the open- 
ings in trees on the border of the creeks and rivers in such 
localities with most delicious honey and where no trees were 
near he had seen the honey hanging under shelving rocks at 
cliffs and bluffs banks along the rivers and creeks. 

About 1630 Miles Standish who was so busy hunting In- 
dians that he had no time to court the beautiful Priscilla, had 
two of his men court martialed for being absent. The evid- 
ence showed they had found a bee tree and there was so much 



338 PIONEER HISTORY OF INDIANA. 

honey in it they were making- a trough to put it in. 

The bear was the greatest lover of honey and would risk 
his life for it. An old hunter by the name of Caleb Spear 
g-ives his experience in many hunting expiditions which are 
published in a small volume in the colonial days. Spear says 
that one evening while passing near a little lake of water 
he saw a bear jump in and roll over and over several times, then 
wading out and climbing up a tree for about thirty feet he went 
tearing away with his claws at a hole in a large limb, every 
now and then snorting and shaking his head. There 
were a number of bees flying around his head, and in a little 
while Mr. Bear let all holds go, fell down all in a ball and 
ran to the water, going through the same performance, re- 
peating it half a dozen times and no doubt drowning half of 
the bees for they were not nearly so plentiful flying around 
his head. Finally he climbed up the tree and remained there 
until he had made a hole larg-e enough to put his paw in 
when he scooped out the honey which he gulped down with 
g-reat satisfaction. 

Soon after my father was married he had a pet bear that 
was very tame — so much so that he could handle it. He 
lived at that time on his farm near Francisco, Indiana, now 
owned by Capt. C. C. Whiting. There were great quantities 
of honey in all the woods and he gathered several tubs full 
of it preparatory to taking it to Princeton to market and left 
the tubs in a lean-to back of the main cabin. One Sunday 
ihey went to visit some neighbors and were gone until late in 
the day. The cabin had two beds in it with nice old South 
Carolina white counterpanes over them. The bear got loose 
and ate all the honey he could hold and then wallowed in it. 
Later he got into the cabin and proceeded to make himself at 
home by rolling all over both the beds and when the family 
g-ot home he was fast asleep in the middle of one of them. 

WITCHCRAFT AND WITCHES. 

To the educated and cultured people of this date it 
sounds strange indeed that there ever was a period in this or 
any other country's history when such foolish fallacy as 



PIONEER HISTORY OF jINDIANA. 339 

witchcraft was believed in, but such was the fact. Witch- 
craft and witches were the bane of the lives of very respect- 
able people. 

New England had overdone the witch business so much 
in an early day that those believing- such foolery at a later 
period were content to silently suffer the imaginary wrongs 
from those they thought were witches without resorting to 
drastic measures to i)unish them. 

In fact, the conduct of the Puritans had such a reaction 
on themselves for brutally murdering innocent men and 
women on spectral evidence, that ever since there has been 
such an odium attached to believers in witchcraft that none 
were willing to own any connection with it. 

The early settlers in Indiana were mostly from the south 
and but few of them ever heard of Salem and the witch 
trials. Some of them believed in witchcraft in a mild form. 
If a gun did not shoot well, it was often said to be bewitched. 
If the butter refused to gather, some said a witch had put a 
spell on the churn. If the soap wouldn't thicken, it was said 
that some old witch was the cause. If a hen failed to hatch 
well or a cow should give bloody milk, it was attributed by 
some to witches. This belief was confined to a very few in 
this section. 

Early in the thirties a band of nomads named Griffys lo- 
cated in eastern Gibson county, about one and one-half miles 
northwest of Oakland City. They built floorless huts in a clus- 
ter around a large spring on land that recently belonged to 
William M. Thompson. There were thirty or forty people 
in the colony, all of whom were superstitious and believed in 
witches and ghosts. The}' were looked upon as an indolent, 
lazy set, but had one feature about their manner of living 
which was certainly commendable; they had several very old 
people with them, men and women, whom they cared for and 
who were not related to them or had any claim on them, but 
had been gathered into this colony for no other reason than 
sympathy for their helpless and forlorn condition. 

At one time Jonas and Casway Griffy came to see my 
father and wanted small change in bits and <iuarters for a 



340 PIONEER HISTORY OF INDIANA. 

silver dollar. One of them wanted to know if silver would 
melt in a ladle with lead. My father at once concluded that 
they wanted to make counterfeit coin and told them he was 
surprised to think they would undertake such business. They 
were much alarmed at what father said to them and said they 
had no thought of doing wrong-; that the}^ had had a secret 
among themselves they had not intended to tell, but would 
have to tell him in order to clear themselves of suspicion, and 
enjoined my father to keep it. The}- had lived for some 
years in Martin county, this state, before- coming to this 
part, and they had so much trouble there that they moved 
away in the hope that their trouble would cease. But for the 
last several months the same trouble had come to them and 
they were planning to rid themselves of the evil. They 
wanted the small coin so they could melt it in lead and run it 
into bullets for the purpose of disabling witches so that they 
would let them alone. They said there was an old woman 
who lived near them in Martin county who was a terror to all 
the country round. She did not fear anything, would ride 
without a bridle and saddle the wildest, unbroken horse and 
would light any man. She had nearly killed two of their 
neighbors in a fight. They said that before they moved 
down here they had four head of cows, but could not get any 
milk from two of them at any time — they were always milked 
dry. The old witch did not have any cows, but always had 
plenty of milk and butter. "We tried," said they, "many 
ways to find out how the cows were milked, but did not suc- 
ceed until one morning one of our women went up to the old 
witch's house and saw her doing something with a towel 
■which was hanging in a small window. While the witch's 
back was turned she determined to find out what she was do- 
ing. She first stuck a pin in the towel and named it for one 
of our cows. Then she took hold of the fringe and com- 
menced to milk it as if she were milking a cow. When she 
had finished that cow she put another pin into the towel and 
named it after our other best cow and proceeded to milk her 
in the same way. At night she would assume the form of a 
black cat and go all over our homes. We tried many times to 



PIONEER HISTORY OF INDIANA. 341 

kill the cat, but could not do it. Finally old Mr. McCo)', one 
of our people, saw the cat go into his room. He closed the 
door and armed himself with an axe. Opening- the door a 
little ways to let the cat run out, which it did, he cut off one 
of its ears. The next morning one of our women went over 
to see the old lady and found her in bed with a bandage on. 
her head. That night she went back to Mr. McCoy's cabin^ 
found the ear and it grew back on as well as ever, except that 
it was cropped. After that the same black cat was seen with 
one ear cropped. We brought the same four cows when we 
moved down here. The range was good and they gave an 
abundance of milk. About two months ago two of our men 
were in the woods hunting and saw the same crop-eared black 
cat. Ever since that evening our two best cows have given 
no milk, and we have many other troubles which we attribute 
to the same cause." 

A few years later the section that these Griffj's occupied 
had a terrible scourge of what was known as the black 
tongue, and fifteen or twenty of the colony died from the 
dreadful disease. They attributed it all to the same one- 
eared black cat, and as soon as they were able to get away^ 
they moved up east on the Patoka river and none of them 
were ever seen in this section again. I have been unable to 
learn if the same one-eared black cat still followed them up, 
inflicting misfortune upon them. 



CHAPTER XIV. 



AMUSEMENTS AND SPORTS OF THE EARLY 
PIONEERS. 



There was nothing in the rude condition in which the 
people had to live in the early days that changed their na- 
tures. They had great desire to engage in feats of strength 
or skill and in many athletic sports, and no people ever en- 
joyed these times of recreation more than did these people. 

Many of the games used by the early settlers were bor- 
rowed or copied from the Indians. Playing or rolling the 
hoop was one of the games often engaged in. They made a 
hoop about four feet in diameter out of a young hickory 
sapling and covered it all over with raw deer hide, making it 
se strong that there was no danger of breaking it. There 
were three parallel lines made about one hundred yards long 
and about fifteen feet apart on a level piece of ground, the 
middle line about ten yards longer than the others at each 
end. On the outside lines, the opposing parties, which gen- 
erally consisted of from ten to twenty persons, arranged 
themselves from ten to twelve paces apart, each individual 
fronting his opponent, on the other outside line. On the cen- 
tral line, extending a few paces beyond the wings of the 
other two lines, stood two persons facing each other. It is 
their part of the play to alternatel)^ roll the hoop with all 
their strength from one to the other. The object of triumph 
between the two is who shall catch his opponent's hoop the 
oftenest, and of the contending parties on the side line, 
which shall throw the greatest number of balls through the 
hoop as it passes rapidl}- along the intervening space. Two 



PIONEER HISTORY OF INDIANA. 343 

judges were appointed, with powers to appoint a third one, to 
determine which side was victorious. 

Another fjame that was often played was called "Bull 
Pen." Eijjrht or ten persons could pla}- it. Two would 
•choose up and then each select his plaj'ers. The ground was 
laid ofiF as nearly square as possible, about one hundred and 
twenty feet each way. The basemen stood at the corners. 
If five corners were wanted, at one side an extra corner was 
made extending- the line to a half angle, making room for the 
fifth corner. The choice as to who should have the corners 
was first decided by the flip of a chip, wet on one side and 
dry on the other. The thrower would call out "Wet" or 
"Dry." The ball was usually a heavy one, made over a 
heavy pebble and wrapped with 3'arn and covered with buck- 
skin. The ball was in the hands of the corner man and was 
thrown from one to the other until it had gone around and 
had been caught by each corner; then it was said to be hot 
and could be thrown at any of the other sides who were in- 
side of the pen or square. When the ball was thrown, the 
corner men had to run to the right and change places, but if 
the ball was caught or found and thrown between a corner 
man and the base he was running for, the corner men went 
out and the pen men went to the corners. There was really 
great work in playing this game. 

Boys would run as deer and other boys after^them as 
hounds. Jumping was much indulged in, stand and go — 
three jumps or half hamen, a hop, a skip and a jump. They 
climbed trees and shot with a bow and arrow. In^this they 
became experts, killing quail, squirrels and turkey's. They 
would practice the noise made b}- birds and animals in their 
notes of call. 

When a boy, the author could imitate a squirrel to per- 
fection. Old hunters called the strutting gobbler up to them 
by imitating his gobble and his strutting, blowing noise. 
The bleating of a young fawn was imitated and the mother 
would go to the bleating. The same with wolves. They 
would make the night hideous with their everlasting howl- 
ing, but man did imitate them so perfectly thatjthey would 



344 PIONEER HISTORY OF INDIANA. 

howl in answer and finally come to the man wolf. 

Dancing was the principal amusement of the 3'oung- peo- 
ple of both sexes. They were not of the fancy figures of 
these modern times, but were of the simplest figures, three 
and four-handed reels and jigs. In most neighborhoods lived 
some old man who would indulge in telling dramatic stories 
of Jack the Giant Killer. In telling these harmless lies, the 
narrator would spin out his tale to quite a length, embracing 
quite a range of incidents, and always told these blood and 
thunder stories of their hero, Jack, in a way to bring him out 
the great victor. He often told tales of impossible character,, 
such as the Arabian Nights are full of, such as the flying 
horse with a peg behind his ear to turn when he was desired 
to alight at a certain place. 



CHAPTER XV. 



INDIANA DURING THE WAR OF 1812. 



Reorganize the Ranger Service — Pigeon Roost Massa- 
cre — Attack on Fort Harrison — General Hopkins' 
Report to the Governor — Expeditions Against the 
Indians — Delaware Indians Removed to Ohio — Gen- 
eral Gibson's Message to House of Representatives 
IN 1813 — Territorial Government Removed from 

ViNCENNES TO CORYDON — MiSS McMuRTRIE's STATE- 
MENT — Treaty of Friendship and Alliance with the 
Indians — General John Gibson — Governor Thomas 
Posey — Logan, the Indian Chief ^ — Territory Laid 
Off Into Five Districts — Judicial System Improved — 
Charters Granted to Banks — Rappites at Harmony — 
New Harmony Sold to Robert Owen. 



After the battle of Tippecanoe the Indians were appar- 
ently submissive. This afforded a temporary relief from 
Indian depredations and there was a great impetus given ta 
emigration into Indiana Territory from Kentucky all along 
the southern borders. 

During December of 1811 Governor Harrison received 
messages from different tribes of the Wabash Indians, offer- 
ing to renew their allegiance to the United States. He re- 
fused at that time to have a meeting with them. The same 
month the Legislature of Indiana Territory adopted a me- 
morial to Congress praying that body to authorize the people 
of the Indiana Territory to form a state constitution. In 



346 PIONEER HISTORY OF INDIANA. 

their memorial among- other things the}' declared the)' felt it 
a hardship to be disfranchised when they had done no wrong- 
and ended their appeal b)' saj-ing: 'It is principles and not 
men or measures that we complain of." 

The Indians were too much under the influence of the 
British at Maiden to remain for any length of time submissive 
and early in the spring of 1812 small war parties were on the 
warpath and many petty annoyances were perpetrated on the 
-exposed settlements, as stealing horses and shooting dogs. 
Early in April two men were killed near the mouth of the 
Wabash river. They were coming to Vincennes in a large 
skiff. In the same month Mr. Hutson and wife and four 
children were killed on the west side of the Wabash thirty 
miles north of Vincennes. On April 22, Mr. Harriman, his 
wife and five children were murdered five miles from Vin- 
•cennes. These depredations caused great excitement all 
along the borders of Indiana Territory. The Territorial 
Militia was put in the best possible condition for active serv- 
ice. The settlers over all the settled portions of the territory 
fitted up their old block-houses and erected many new ones. 

The Indians who had for four years before this been 
moving away from the lower White river to stations farther 
north were now returning, and in such numbers as to be very 
threatening to the new settlements. Several scouts were all 
the time on the watch to understand the intention of the In- 
dians. Two scouts were sent to the southeastern section of, 
the territory to induce the people to erect forts and block- 
houses on the frontiers of Wayne, Franklin, Dearborn, Clark, 
-and Harrison Counties. In this way most of the exposed 
frontiers were put in a fairly good condition to defend them- 
selves. 

Friendly Indians of the Delaware tribe were sent among 
the Indians with instructions to inform them that Harrison 
did not want any trouble with them, that he was for peace 
and that there was plenty of room for the whites and Indians, 
too, in this big country. These offers of friendship caused 
the Indians to hold a great convention at an Indian town on 
the Mississinawa river. There were deputations from the 



PIONEER HISTORY OF INDIANA. 347 

W3'andotts, Chippewas, Attawas. Pottawattamies, Dela- 
wares, Miamis, Weas, Kickapoos, Shawnees and Winne- 
baufoes. Tecumseh was at that yfreat {gathering- of Indians 
and made a lony: sjjeech, declarinyr that if he had been at 
home there would have been no trouble, that he was all the 
time in favor of peace, if it could be had without the ruin of 
the Indians. The yfeneral expression of that meeting- was 
for peace, but the speeches were mostl}' such as the British 
Indian traders and their agents put in the mouths of the 
chiefs. Tecumseh became very much angfered at a speech 
.made by a Delaware chief, who said things which reflected 
on the way Tecumseh and his brother, the Prophet, had 
acted and their hypocritical pretensions of friendship to the 
Americans. Tecumseh left the council in g-reat anger and 
immediately repaired to Maiden, where he commenced to 
gather the hostile Indians around his standard in the interest 
of the British. 

Governor Harrison sent his orders to all the commanders 
of detachments of Militia to use all fair means to keep peace 
with the Indians, but if depredations were committed in their 
districts, to follow the Indians and fig^ht them to a finish if 
there was an equal chance of success. 

On June 18, 1812, Congress declared war on Great 
Britain. There was no apparent trouble immediate!}' in 
Indiana Territory'. Harrison and the people of the Territory 
had been expecting this and made the best disposition of the 
means at their command to be prepared for any trouble that 
might grow out of open hostilities with the British, bj- the 
influence they had with the Indians. Soon after the war was 
declared Governor Harrison visited the state of Kentucky to 
consult with the authorities of that state about securing help 
to defend the exposed frontier of Indiana Territory. 

During the year of 1812 Governor Harrison was so busy 
looking after the military affairs of Indiana Territorj' that 
he turned the general management of the civil department 
and the local military affairs over to General John (iibson 
with the authority of Acting Governor. About the first of 
August, the Indians becoming very troublesome, it was re- 



348 PIONEER HISTORY OF INDFANA. 

solved to organize a ranger corps on a similar basis to the 
one that was so successful in preserving peace in holding the 
Indians in check during the year 1807, with this difference — 
the rangers of 1807 were foot soldiers and the corps to be or- 
ganized now were to be mounted in order to cover a larger 
territory in a given time. For this purpose General Gibson: 
wrote a letter to Captain William Hargrove. 



"Vincennes, Indiana Territory, 

Sunday, July 5, 1812. . 

"Captain Hargrove: 

Dear Sir: 

"This letter will be handed you by interpreter 
John Severns, Jr. The times are so full of threat- 
enings that it is thought best to reorganize a ran- 
ger service which you proved yourself so competent 
in commanding during the year 1807, and with a 
view to that end, I now invite 3^ou to come to these 
headquarters for consultation. I would suggest 
that you come as soon as convenient for you to do 
so. The Indians are much better than the British 
and if they were not constantly urged to take up 
the tomahawk against the Americans there would 
be no trouble in keeping peace along the border;, 
but from this on, as long as the war continues, 
there will be much trouble with all the tribes in the 
northwest and along the Wabash. 

John Gibson, Acting Governor 
Indian Territory in absence of Governor Harrison.. 



"Vincennes, Indiana Territory, July 11, 1812.. 
"It is hereby ordered that on and from this 
date, William Hargrove shall be in command of the 
rangers in Indiana Territory and to all whom it 
may concern, he is duly authorized to so act with 
the rank of Lieut. Col. commanding the rangers 
who will be stationed at different points in this 
Territory and will be so obeyed by the militia and 



PIONEER HISTORY OF INDIANA. 349 

all other troops enlisted for the defense of the Ter- 
ritory. 

John Gibson, 

Acting Governoi." 
Per J. T. D., Clerk. 



Instructions Foi^ the Guidance of Lieut. Col. 
William Hargrove Commanding Ran- 
gers IN Indiana Territory. 

1. The object in placing- a mounted corps of 
rangers on dutj' is that the)- can with celerity go 
over the various routes which you will select for 
them to operate on. 

2. You will accept none but the best mounts 
for the men as speed in this service will be the ob- 
ject to gain. The men must be good horsemen and 
if possible, men who have had practice in shooting 
from horseback. 

3. The most important point to guard will be 
the countr)' east of this for twent}' miles uptosixtv 
or sevent)' miles east; and, that you may be able to 
have your men well in hand, it is thought best that 
3-ou have a permanent stockade station between the 
White Oak Springs blockhouse and the Mudholes. 
At this station you will keep a platoon of men and 
four sergeants to rank as first, second, third and 
fourth sergeants, to be men in everyway competent 
to take charge of a squad of troops in any emer- 
gency. The next station will be at a point about 
ten miles east of Blue river and to be far enough to 
the north to furnish protection to the few settlers 
who have advanced beyond the line of safety in 
that direction. It will be necessary to have twenty 
men at this station, with three sergeants to rank 
as first, second and third sergeants. 

4. The sections of country about Robb's Fort 
and to the southwest of it are amply able to take 
care of themselves and furnish you all the men that 
you will want. It is thought best to locate a post 
at a point northwest of Kimble's mill on the foot- 
hills of the Wabash river. The need of this sta- 
tion is, that there will be a large territory east and 



^50 PIONEER HISTORY OF INDIANA. 

west of the Wabash river which is a dense wilder- 
ness and a large body of Indians could concentrate 
there and successfully raid any of the settlements 
in that section. Twenty men, with three ser- 
geants, should be stationed at this point. 

5. It is thought best that a station with ten 
men be at a point about twenty-five miles north of 
the mouth of the Wabash river and on the foothills 
on the east side of the river, to be established un- 
der the command of two sergeants. All these sta- 
tions should have a strong stockade that incloses 
all the ground that will be needed for the horses 
when inside and for barracks for the men. A 
strong, small house should be erected to hold the 
rations and ammunition. 

7. The territory around all the stations from 
whence the Indians are most likely to come, should 
be closely watched, and a vidette station as far 
front as it is practicable to place it. This should 
be done every day. At night two men should be 
selected to act as advance sentinels. These men 
should be placed at points where they can see the 
surrounding country with as little exposure to 
themselves as possible. 

8. The arms should be of the best that can be 
secured, not of the army musket, as that is too 
heavy, but of the regular hunting rifle, with the 
caliber of a size that would make forty balls to the 
pound. For convenience in carrying, if the barrels 
could be cut down to about three feet and a half in 
length, it would be better. P^or the rest of the 
armament, the usual hunting outfit will be all suf- 
ficient. 

9. The stations on the north frontier of Har- 
rison County should patrol the section in their 
front to the north as far as the}- are safe to go, and 
to the northwest and northeast. The central and 
southern portion of Harrison County can take care 
of any raids that may come to them. They have 
a company called "Minute Rangers,'' that is com- 
manded by Captain John Tipton, that patrol all the 
country as far south as the Ohio river and some 
miles west of Blue river and east until in touch with 
guards from Clark's Grant or Jeffersonville. 

10. If you think best, you can detail one man 



PIONEER HISTORY OF INDIANA. 351 

at each station for hunting g-ame. In that way 
there will be no need of meat rations being drawn 
from the Commissary at this post. 

11. You will have a platoon of not less than 
fifteen men with you at the place which you shall 
choose for the headquarters. As a suggestion, this 
headquarters would recommend that 3'ou have such 
a station at or near the White Oak Springs Fort. 
From there it will be easy to visit any of the sta- 
tions and you will be near where it is thought the 
most likely place for the Indians to attempt to 
come into the settlements and near these head- 
quarters. 

Done at Vincennes, Indiana Territory, Julv 11^ 
1812. 

John Gibson, 

Acting Governor, 
Per J. T. D., Clerk. 



"Headquarters, Indiana Territory, 

Vincennes, July 20, 1812, 
"Col. Wm. Hargrove, Commanding the Mounted 

Rangers of Indiana Territory: 

"This will be handed you b}' a Piankashaw 
Indian named Minto. Yesterday (Sunday) morn- 
ing a French bo}' and his mother were out to the 
east in a cart, eight or nine miles from this post, 
when they were met by eight Indians and robbed of 
their horse and cart. The woman thinks they were 
Shawnees. She says that she was on the old Dela- 
ware trace and was then some four or five miles 
north of White river. There was a cavalry com- 
pany sent out from here to tr)' to intercept them. 
The reason for reporting this to you is that the 
eight Indians seen may be onh' a small band of a 
much larger one that may be hovering on the fron- 
tier, with the hope that they may find an oppor- 
tunity to raid some of the settlements. You had 
better send some of your men to several of the new 
settlements on the border and notify them of this, 
and inform the people that the}* must at once pre- 
pare to go into the fort at the first note of alarm. 

The British will cause the Indians to do all the 



352 PIONEER HISTORY OF INDIANA. 

harm that it is possible for them to do. I have just 
had an interview with the French woman who was 
robbed. I asked her why they did not take her 
and her boy prisoners. She says they seemed to 
want to be friendly and only wanted the loan of the 
cart to haul several deer into their camp and in less 
than one-half moon, they said, they would bring it 
back to her at Vincennes. This, of course, was 
only a pretense, hoping- that she would report to 
this post that they were friendly Indians. 

The reports from different points of the Terri- 
tory indicate that the Indians are concentrating at 
various places on the northern frontier. It will be 
best to keep a vigilant lookout, for we cannot steer 
clear of trouble if the war continues, and it is much 
better to be prepared for trouble, if it is a little in- 
convenient to do so, than to wish that we had been, 
when it is too late. 

John Gibson, 
Acting Governor." 



''Vincennes, Indian Territory, 

July 29, 1812. 
^'CoL. Wm. Hargrove, 

Commanding Mounted Rangers: 
"For about ten days a man has been around 
this post claiming to be an expert engineer and 
that he has built many forts for the mounting of 
heavy ordnances in the states east of the Alle- 
ghanies. He had such good papers of recommenda- 
tion that he was permitted to go where he pleased 
and was all through the fort and barracks. Last 
night he disappeared and took with him a very fine 
saddle horse which belonged to Col. Luke Decker, 
together with a tine saddle and a pair of heav)^ pis- 
tols in the holsters. It was thought he went to- 
ward the Ohio river and may come near some of 
your stations. You had better inform your men by 
a courier. There is no doubt that he is a British 
spy and it is very desirable to capture him. A de- 
scription of him given by those with whom he was 
is: A heavy man, five feet ten in height: would 
weigh about one hundred and eighty pounds; dark 
hair, black eyes, and he wore a tine velvet vest and 



PIONEER HISTORY OF INDIANA. 353 

a dark blue long^-tailed coat both ornamented with 
silver buttons. A pair of tine white dressed buck- 
skin knee breeches with silver buckles at his knee; 
a pair of fine leather shoes with silver buckles; a 
swiveled hat, made out of beaver skin. Have your 
men keep a j^ifood lookout for him. 

"I will here ag^ain inform you that in the near 
future there is danger ahead if the war lasts any 
length of time This lull is only the fore runner of 
certain stirring times. Be sure that ever3tliing is 
in readiness for what may come. 

John Gibson, 
Acting Governor. 

"B}' the hand of a friendly Delaware Indian. 
Return him in two da3'S with anything that you 
wish to sav. J. G." 



Vincennes, Indiana Territory, 

August 10," 1812. 
"Col. Wm. Hargrove, 

Commanding Mounted Rangers. 
"The new men can be mustered in and the 
two 3'oung boys will be returned to their homes. 
Two scouts from this post were at a point on 
West White river thirt}' miles east of the forks 
and saw two old Delaware Indian men who have a 
lone wigwam at that place. These Indians were 
friendly and have been for a long time. The)' 
said that several Pottawattaniies had recently been 
at that point and told them — 'Soon we will go to 
the Ohio river — get heap horses — maybe get scalps 
— the British drive Americans away soon.' 

The scouts report that there is a general move- 
ment among the Indians, a sort of nervous unrest 
that forebodes trouble and that the Indians did not 
seem to show that hearty friendship as formerly. 
One friendly Indian was with the scouts pretend- 
ing to be a hunter, and said that if an opportunitj' 
offered, the Indians would strike our people soon. 

John Gibson, 
Acting Governor." 



During the month of August there was a great deal of 
activity in military circles. On the 12th of the month, Gov- 



354 PIONEER HISTORY OF INDIANA. 

ernor Harrison was made a Major General by Governor Scott 
of Kentucky, with authority to command the militia of that 
State which was to be sent to assist Indiana Territory for 
the protection of her frontiers. Soon afterward two thous- 
and Kentuckians were assembled near the borders of the 
State of Ohio and with the militia of Indiana and Ohio, 
formed an army of three thousand four hundred men. 

They marched from their place of rendezvous and ar- 
rived at Ft. Wayne in Indiana Territory on September 12th. 
The approach of such a large army caused the hostile Ind- 
ians to retire from in front of that fort. 

On the 15th of August, 1812. General Hull, an old Rev- 
olutionary officer, ing-loriously and cowardly surrendered the 
post of Detroit with two thousand men as prisoners. This 
substantial victory by the British was a great aid to them in 
allying all the tribes of the Indians on the Wabash and the 
Northwest Territory to their standard and very soon after 
this there were many partisan organizations prepared for the 
purpose of preying on the most exposed places of the front- 
iers of Indiana and Illinois Territories and the State of Ohio. 

THE PIGEON ROOST MASSACRE. 

In 1809 there was a settlement made by a few families at 
a place known as Pigeon Roost in what is now Scott county. 
These families were from four to five miles away from other 
settlers who had located in that section some years before. 
They had been busy cleaning up and cultivating the rich 
land for more than three years; without taking the precau- 
tion to build a fort for protection against the Indians who 
were not far away in their towns. On the 3d of September, 
1812, while Jeremiah Pa3'ne and a visitor named Coffman 
were out in the woods some two or three miles from the set- 
tlement locating bee trees, the}' were ambushed and killed by 
a part}' of Indians which afterward was learned to consist of 
nine Shawnees and four Delawares. The Indians moved on 
to the settlement and in less than two hours killed one man, 
five women and sixteen children. Mrs. Jane Biggs and three 
little children escaped and after wandering through the 



PIONEER HISTORY OF INDIANA. 355 

woods nearly all niyfht, reached the home of her brother, 
Zebulum Collinjjfs, six miles awa}'. In one house there were 
William Colling-s (who was an old man), and Captain John 
Norris, and two small children, LN-dia and John Collinjjs. 
The two men made a brave defense and held the Indians in 
check until niyfht and then escaped with the two children, 
and a little while before day arrived at the home of Zebulum 
Collinjifs. 

The total number killed in this massacre was twent}'- 
four — the two who were bee huntinj^, Henry Collin<»-s and his 
wnfe, Mrs. Payne and eiyfht children, Mrs. John Norris and 
her only child, and Mrs. Norris, the mother of John Norris, 
and Mrs. Richard Collint^s and seven children. These vil- 
lainous murderers, after committing^ this awful crime, scalped 
their victims, took all the goods which they could carry and 
set fire to the houses. The}' then hastily returned the way 
they had come. Captain Devalt with his company of rangers 
pursued them and at one time came up with their rear guard, 
when a running fight took place. One of the Captain's men 
was killed. Still the pursuit was kept up through the woods 
but the Indians were not overtaken again. The Legislature 
recently appropriated two thousand dollars (S2,000.00) and 
the State has erected a suitable monument to the unfortunate 
people at the place where their settlement was. 

AN ATTACK ON FORT HARRISON. 

On September 3. 1812, two men were killed near Fort 
Harrison while ihey were cutting wild hay. On the night of 
the 4th of September a large body of Shawnees, Pottawatta- 
mies, Winnebagoes and Kickapoos attacked Fort Harrison. 
At the outset they set fire to a blockhouse which was near 
the fort. Captain Zachary Taylor, who afterward was the 
twelfth President of the United States, was in command and 
determinedly resisted the attack, which was persistently kept 
up all night, at which time the Indians withdrew. 

In order to show the material this commander was made 
of, his report to Governor Harrison is here produced. In the 
official account of this action, written on the loth of Septem- 
ber, 1812, Captain Taylor said: 



356 PIONEER HISTORY OF INDIANA. 

"About eleven o'clock I was awakened by the 
firing- of one of the sentinels. I sprang- up, ran out 
and ordered the men to their posts — when my or- 
derly sergeant, who had charge of the upper 
blockhouse, called out that the Indians had fired 
the lower blockhouse. The guns had begun to 
fire pretty smartly from both sides. I directed the 
buckets to be prepared and water brought from 
the well and the fire to be extinguished immedi- 
ately as it was perceivable ai that time, but from 
debility or some other cause, the men were slow in 
executing my orders. The word 'Fire' appeared to 
throw all of them into confusion, and by the time 
they had gotten the water and broken open the 
door, the fire had, unfortunately, communicated to 
a quantity of whisky, and in spite of every exertion 
we could make use of, in less than a moment it as- 
cended to the roof and baffled every effort we could 
make to extinguish it. As that blockhouse joined 
part of the barracks that make part of the fortifica- 
tions, most of the men immediately gave them- 
selves up for lost, and I had the greatest difliculty 
in getting my orders executed. And, Sir, what 
from the raging of the fire — the yelling and howl- 
ing of the several hundred Indians — the cries of 
nine women and children (a part soldiers' and part 
citizens' wives who had taken shelter in the fort), 
and the despondency of so many men, which was 
worse than all — I can assure you my feelings were 
unpleasant; and, indeed, there were not more than 
ten or fifteen men able to do a good deal, the 
others being sick or convalescent; and to add to our 
other misfortunes, two of the strongest men in the 
fort, that I had ever}' confidence in, jumped the 
pickets and left us. My presence of mind, how- 
ever, did not forsake me. I saw that by throwing 
off a part of the roof that joined the blockhouse 
that was on fire and keeping this end perfectl}' 
wet, the whole row of buildings might be saved 
■ and leave only an entrance of eighteen or twenty 
feet for the Indians after the house was consumed, 
and that a temporar}- breastwork might be erected 
to prevent their even entering there. I convinced 
the men that this might be accomplished and it in- 
spired them with new life, and never did men work 



PIONEER HISTORY OF INDIANA. 357 

with more tirmness or desperation. Those who 
were able (while the others kept up a constant tire 
from the other blockhouse and the two bastions^ 
mounted the roofs of the houses, with Dr. Clark at 
their head (who acted with the g-reatest firmness 
and presence of mind the whole time the attack 
lasted, which was about seven hours), under a 
shower of bullets, and in less than a moment 
threw oif as much of the roof as was necessary. 
Althouyfh the barracks were several times in a 
blaze and an immense (luantity of fire ag-ainst 
them, the men used such exertions that they kept 
it under and before day raised a temporary 
breastwork as hijifh as a man's head, although the 
Indians continued to pour in a heavy fire of ball 
and an immense quantity of arrows during the en- 
tire time that the attack lasted. After keeping up 
a constant fire until about six o'clock the next 
morning, which we began to return with some ef- 
fect after da3iight, they removed out of reach of 
our guns. A part)' of them drove up the horses 
that belonged to the citizens, and as they coald not 
catch them very readih', shot all of them in our 
sight, as well as a number of their hogs. They 
drove off all of the cattle, which amounted to 
sixt3--five head, as well as the public oxen." 

The sight that met the soldiers of this garrisort when 
aroused from their slumbers to find the roaring flames of fire 
devouring a part of their blockhouse, was enough to try the 
nerves of the bravest. The men, with very few exceptions, 
after being infused with the heroism of their commander, 
fought like heroes. Two big- burly fellows, however, let 
their heels get the better of their honor, jumped over the 
fence and attempted to break through the Indian lines and 
get away. One was killed and the other was glad to get 
back to the fort, where he lay on the outside of the wall, 
screened by some logs until daylight, when the Indians with- 
drew and he was admitted into the fort, without having a 
ver}' high appreciation of the famous lines, "He who fights 
and runs away, will live to fight another day." 

When the authorities at Vincennes were informed of the 



358 PIONEER HISTORY OF INDIANA. 

attack on Fort Harrison, Colonel Russel, with ten hundred 
men, was dispatched to that point for the purpose of chastis- 
ing the Indians and relieving- the fort. The troops arrived 
at that point on the 6th of September, but found the Indians 
had retired. A small detachment commanded by Lieut. 
Richardson, acting as an escort for provisions sent to Fort 
Harrison, was attacked b}- a large party of Indians at a point 
within the boundary of Sullivan count}'. Seven of the men 
were killed and the balance, with the provisions, fell into the 
hands of the Indians. 

Colonel Wilcox, with the command of Kentuck)' volun- 
teers, remained at Fort Harrison; Colonel Russel, with the 
two regiments of Indiana Militia, returned to Vincennes. 

There was a noted Shawnee chief named Captain Logan, 
acting as a scout, who was with Harrison during his march 
for the relief of Fort Wayne. Some time after the relief of 
this fort he and two warriors of his tribe were on a recon- 
noisance about thirty miles north of Ft. Wayne, when they 
had a skirmish with a like part}' of the enem)', consisting of 
several hostile Indians and two or three white men in the 
British service. During the skirmish one of the white men 
was killed and Winnamac, a Pottawattamie chief, was killed 
by Logan, who. being mortally wounded, retreated and got 
back to the camp of General Winchester, where shortly after- 
ward he died and was buried with military honors. 

During the occupanc}' of Ft. Wayne b}' Harrison's army 
the Indian village and their cornfields were destroyed for 
many miles in every direction. In the latter part of Septem- 
ber General Harrison turned over the command at Ft. Wayne 
to Brigadier-General James Winchester. On the 24th of the 
same month Harrison received a dispatch from the Secretary 
of War with orders assigning him to the command of the 
Northwest Army, with a command estimated at about ten 
thousand men, with instructions to recapture Detroit, invade 
the Canadas and destroy the British army in that quarter — 
all of which he thoroughly accomplished. 

As the seat of war was removed out of Indiana Territory, 
Harrison and his command will be left for the general histor}^ 



PIONEER HISTORY OF INDIANA. 35«) 

•of the United States to tell of the heroism of that great gen- 
•eral and the valor of his brave and determined men. 



"Vincennes, Indiana Territory. 

August 20, 1812. 
"Colonel Wm. Hargrove, 

Commanding Mounted Rangers: 
''General Harrison has been commissioned 
Major General by the Governor of Kentucky and 
placed in command of the militia of that state, 
who are ordered to report to him in this territory. 
There will soon be a large number of troops cross- 
ing the Ohio river into this Territory. This ap- 
parent security will not in the least change your 
duties. The men under your command will still 
keep up the same vigilance. The militia of this 
Territory will in a great measure leave for the 
north. Then our force of able bodied men will be 
much reduced and it will be necessary to carefully 
watch every point of our frontier. 

John Gibson, 
Acting Governor." 



"Vincennes, Indiana Territory, 

August 28, 1812. 
"Colonel Wm. Hargrove, 

Commanding Mounted Rangers of Indiana 
Territory: 
"General Hull ingloriously and cowardly sur- 
rendered Detroit and two thousand troops to the 
British on the 15th inst. It is feared that this suc- 
cess on the part of the British will cause the Ind- 
ians who have been apparently friendly to go to 
their standard. There is no doubt of the ultimate 
outcome of this war, but there seems to be much 
incompetency in high places. 

John Gibson, 
Acting Governor." 



"Vincennes, Indiana Territory, 

September 8, '12. 
Colonel Hargrove, 

Commanding the Mounted Ranger Service: 
"On last Thursdav, the 3d inst., there were 



360 PIONEER HISTORY OF INDIANA. 

twent} -four people killed at a point north of Louis- 
ville, some thirt}' or fort}' miles. The Indians who 
committed this murder came from the north be- 
yond White river. These fool-hard)' people had 
moved awa)' from all others and made no attempt 
at preparing- a place for defense. 

"You will go over 3' our territory and at each 
post ascertain if there are people who are out be- 
yond the line that you are protecting-. If you 
should find such to be the case, then order them to 
prepare a fort and see that they do it, where there 
are as man}- as three families. If you should find 
less than three families at any isolated point, have 
them and their effects moved to a place where they 
can be protected and where the men of these fam- 
ilies can help protect others. See that this order 
is carried out in the earliest possible time. 

John Gibson, 
Acting Governor- 
Per J. T. D." 



"Vincennes, Indiana Territory, 

September 12. 1812. 
"Col. Hargrove, Commanding Rangers: 

"The brave defense made by Captain Ta)'lor 
at Ft. Harrison is one bright ray amid the gloom 
of incompetency which has been shown in so many 
places. 

"Your force east of Blue river was not expect- 
ed to do anything toward guarding the country for 
several miles this side of the frontier where the 
twenty-four foolish people were murdered. The 
militia of Clark county are supposed to be on duty 
in that direction and were not to blame. The ven- 
turesome people who are in all sections of the 
country cause their own destruction and keep the 
country in a great turmoil. The orders in reg-ard 
to people moving be3^ond the line of protection 
from this date shall beobe)'ed and the venturesome 
people who are continually wanting to go too near 
the front, shall go into forts in touch with our 
guards or brought back inside of the line. 

"There is great need of vigilant watch being 
kept. The Indian will attempt in many wa3's to 



PIONEER HISTORY OF INDIANA. 361 

wreak venjjeance on the white people. 

John Gibson, 
Actinji: as Governor." 
Per J. T. D." 



During- the last part of 1812 there was so much uncer- 
taint}' in all parts of Indiana Territor}- and so man}- men 
who were members of the Lejrislature who were on military 
duty, that -when the time for the regular Legislature came 
around it was thought best to postpone it. 

After it became ev'ident that the Indians were concen- 
trating at different points in Illinois and Indiana Territories,, 
so as to be in position to send out various raids ro all the dis- 
tricts which were the most exposed on the borders of these 
two Territories, the Governor of Kentucky became alarmed. 
After the determined attack made upon Ft. Harrison and 
numerous raids made b}' the Indians along the line and the 
murder of so many citizens north of Louisville, he determined 
to strongly reinforce the militia of these two territories. Is- 
suing a call for volunteers for that purpose, there were so 
many responded that he could not accept half of them. 
About the middle of September General Samuel Hopkins, a 
man of noted distinction, was placed in command of two 
thousand Kentuckians and marched with them to Vincennes, 
Indiana. Refitting his corps with the proper supplies and 
ammunition, along about the fourth of October he was ready 
to march. In a conference between the military commanders 
and Governor Gibson, of Indiana Territory, and Gov- 
ernor Edwards, of Illinois Territory, it was decided that 
so many of the Wabash and Northwest Indians had 
moved and settled in that section around the Illinois river 
and about where Peoria, Illinois, is now located, placing- them 
in a position to raid any of the settlements along the borders 
of the the two territories, that Hopkins' corps should be sent 
against them. The first objective point would be the villages 
of the Kickapoo Indians beyond and to the northwest of Ft. 
Harrison. Hopkins got away with his army and crossed the 
Wabash at Fort Harrison. After marching some days and 



362 PIONEER HISTORY OF IND.IANA. 

coming- near to the objective point, owing to the loose man- 
ner in which the rules of discipline were enforced, theie 
arose great dissention among- the men and officers, several of 
whom possibly felt that they had not been consulted concern- 
ing matters about which they thought themselves competent 
to g-ive advice, and others claiming that they were not ex- 
pected to march so far into the interior when the)' enlisted. 
After g-etting- probably within one day's march of the Peoria 
Indians there seemed to be a spirit of mutiny among- all the 
men which was led on by one very officious major. The army 
followed their trail back, recrossed the Wabash, General Hop- 
kins following in the rear with a picked corps to protect the 
army from being- assailed by any Indians who might be fol- 
lowing on their trail. This mutinous army was discharg-ed 
and sent to their homes. The conduct of the men and a por- 
tion of the officers was deeply deplored by General Hopkins, 
who was a brave, g-allant and g^enerous-hearted man, worth}' 
the confidence of this nation. 

Soon after this General Hopkins asked permission to or- 
g-anize another corps which was g-ranted and three regiments 
of Infantry were organized under the commands of Colonels 
Barbour, Miller and Wilcox, and a company of Reg-ulars 
under the command of Zachar)- Taylor. With this command 
there were several companies of the militia infantry rang-ers 
of Indiana Territory. 

The army rendezvoused at Vincennes and in the early 
part of November marched to Ft. Harrison and from there up 
to the reg-ion round the Tippecanoe river, where they de- 
stroyed a large amount of Indian stores and a number of their 
towns. In defense of this old veteran hero. General Hop- 
kins, it is thought best to let him tell to the Governor of his 
state in his own way the doings of the corps under his com- 
mand: 

"On the 11th of November the army marched from 
Ft. Harrison on the road formerly made by Governor Har- 
rison's arm)^ and the boats set out at the same time. The 
length of time the enemj^ had expected us made it necessary 
to guard ourselves in a special manner. The rise of the 



PIONEER HISTORY OF INDIANA. 363 

waters from the heavy rain precedin*^ our march and some 
larii^e creeks, left us no doubt of considerable difficulty and 
embarrassment in so much that not until the 14th did we pass 
Sugar Creek, three miles above the road. From every infor- 
mation I had no hesitation in movin«if on the east side of the 
Wabash. The Vermilion Pine Creek and other impediments 
on the west side, superadded to the presumption that we were 
expected and mijjfht more easily be annoyed and ambuscaded 
on that route, determined me in this measure. The boats, 
too, with provisions of rations, forag-e and military stores, 
could be easily covered and protected, as the line of march 
could be invariably nearer the river. Lieutenant Colonel 
Barbour, with one battalion of his regiment, had command of 
the seven boats and encamped with us on the bank of the 
river almost every night. This so protracted our march that 
we did not reach the Prophet's town until the 19th. 

"On the morning of this day I detached three hundred 
men to surprise the Winnebago town b'ing on Ponce Passu 
(Ponce peau pichou) Creek, one mile from the Wabash and 
four below the town of the Prophet. This party, commanded 
by General Butler, surrounded the place about break of day, 
but found it evacuated. There were, in the main town, about 
forty houses, many of them from thirty to fifty feet in length, 
besides many temporary huts in t+ie surrounding prairie, in 
which they had cultivated a good deal of corn. 

"On the 20th, 21st and 22d we were embarked in the 
complete destruction of the Prophet's town, which had about 
forty cabins and huts, and the large Kickapoo village adjoin- 
ing, below it on the west side of the river, consisting of about 
one hundred and sixty cabins and huts— finding and destroy- 
ing their corn, reconnoitering the circumjacent countrj' and 
constructing works for the defense of our boats and army. 
Seven miles east of us, on the Ponce Passu creek, a party of 
Indians were discovered. They had fired on a party of ours 
on the 21st and killed a man by the name of Dunne, a gallant 
soldier in Captain Duval's compan3\ On the 22d upwards of 
sixty horsemen, under the command of Lieutenant Colonels 
Miller and Wilcox, anxious to bury their comrade, as well as 



364 PIONEER HISTORY OF INDIANA. 

g-ain a more complete knowledg-e of their ground, went to a 
point near the Indian encampment, fell into an ambuscade 
and eighteen of our party were killed, wounded and missing. 
On the return of this party and the information of a large 
assembly of the enemy, who, encouraged by the strength of 
their camp, appeared to be waiting for us, every preparation 
was made to march early and to engage the enemy at every 
risk, when from the most violent storm and fall of snow, at- 
tended with the coldest weather I ever saw or felt at this sea- 
son of the year and which did not subside until the evening 
of the 23rd, we were delayed until the 24th. Upon arriving 
on the ground, we found the enemy had deserted their camp 
before the fall of the snow and passed the Ponce Passu. I 
have no doubt but their ground was the strongest I have ever 
seen. The deep-rapid creek spoken of was in their rear, run- 
ning in a semi-circle and fronted by a bluff one hundred feet 
high, almost perpendicular, and onl}^ to be penetrated by 
three steep ravines. If the enemy would not defend them- 
selves here, it was evident they did not intend to fight at all. 

"After reconnoitering sufficiently, we returned to camp 
and found the ice so accumulated as to alarm us for the re- 
turn of the boats. I had fully intended to spend one more 
week in endeavoring to find the Indian camp, but the shoe- 
less, shirtless state of the troops now clad in the remnants of 
their summer dress — a river full of ice— the hills covered with, 
snow — a rigid climate and no certain point to which we could 
further direct our operations — under the influence and advice 
of every staff and field officer, orders were given and meas- 
ures pursued for our return on the 25th. 

'*We are now progressing to Ft. Harrison through ice 
and snow, whei-e we expect to arrive on the last day of this 
month. Before I close this I cannot forbear expressing the 
merits of the officers and soldiers of this command. After 
leaving Ft. Harrison, all unfit for duty, we had in privates of 
every corps, about one thousand — in the total, twelve 
hundred and fifty or thereabout. At the Prophet's town up- 
wards of one hundred there were on the sick report, yet, sir, 
have we progressed in such order as to menace our enemy. 



PIONEER HISTORY OF INDIANA. 365 

free from anno^'ance; seven large keel boats have been con- 
vo)'ed and protected to a point heretofore unknown to Indian 
expeditions; three larg-e Indian establishments have been 
burned and destro3'ed, with nearl)' three miles of fence (and 
all the corn, etc., we could find), besides man)' smaller ones. 
The enemj' have been sought in their strongholds and every op- 
portunit)' afforded them to attack or alarm us; a march on the 
east side of the Wabash without road or cognizance of the 
countr}', fully one hundred miles perfected, and this has been 
done with a naked arm}' of infantry, aided with only lift)' 
rangers and spies. All this was done in twenty days — no 
sigh, no murmur, or complaint. 

"I certainly feel particular obligations to my friends, 
General Butler and Colonel Taylor, for their effectual and 
ready aid in their line; as also to Captain Z. Taylor, of the 
Seventh United States Infantry. Messrs. Gist and Richen- 
son, my aide-de-camps, and Major J. C. Breckinridge, my sec- 
retary, for prompt and effectual support in every instance. 
The firm and almost unparalleled defense of Pt. Harrison by 
Captain Z. Taylor has raised for him a fabric of character not 
to be effaced by my eulogy. To Colonel Barbour for his 
officer-like, management in conducting and commanding the 
boats, my thanks are due. As also to Colonels Miller and 
Wilcox; and to Majors Hughes and Shacklett, and to the 
Captains and subalterns of the army in general. From 
Lieutenants Ri'chenson, Hawkins and Sullivan, of the U. S. 
troops, I have to acknowledge my obligations for their steady 
and uniform conduct, as well as Captain Beckes, of the 
rangers. Captain Washburn of the spies, and the staff gen- 
erally." 

When the army on its return trip had arrived at Vin- 
cennes. General Hopkins announced in a general order his 
determination to retire from military life. 



From the northern borders of Indiana Territory many 
Indians had returned to the former sites of their old towns in 
the central part of the Territory and rebuilt them. The 



366 PIONEER HISTORY OF INDIANA. 

Miamis occupied man}' stations along- the Mississinewa river 
and were concentrating- a larg-e force at these towns. Gen- 
eral Harrison ordered Lieutenant Colonel John B. Campbell 
of the Nineteenth U. S. Reg-iment to organize a corps of 
mounted troops for the purpose of breaking- up these stations 
along the Mississinewa river. A reg-iment of Kentucky 
Dragoons, commanded b}'' Colonel Simerall, and a detachment 
of U. S. Drag-oons, commanded b)' Major Ball, and a few 
other detachments of reg-ular and volunteer troops — in all 
something- over six hundred troops. With the command was 
a compan}' of spies and several guides who had been impris- 
oned with the Indians for a long- time when stationed in the 
section that the army intended to march throug-h. 

This detachment started on the expedition along- the lat- 
ter part of November. The weather becoming- very cold, 
they were very much retarded in their march. The}- carried, 
individually, a full ration for twelve days and on their horses, 
strapped behind their saddle, a bushel of corn. It was not 
until the 17th of December that the)' arrived at a town on the 
Mississinewa river, inhabited by the Indians. The g-round 
being covered with snow and very cold, the Indians were in 
their wig-wams. The troops entered the town from several 
points and killed several warriors and captured between forty 
and fifty prisoners, most of them women and children. Then 
they went to some other villages farther down the river, but 
found them all evacuated. The weather was so extremely 
cold that it was thoug-ht best by the council of officers assem- 
bled for the expedition to return, but while the officers were 
in council the camp was attacked by a large body of Indians. 
The attack was made upon the left flank of the camp, but in 
a ver}' short time became g-eneral. The enemy advanced 
very close to the line, and seemed determined to come into 
the camp. The soldiers along- that line were brave men, 
man)' of them old Indian fighters, and they met this onrush 
of the Indians with a leaden hail that checked them, when 
they rushed to find places of concealment, from which posi- 
tion they kept up a furious fire on the American troops for 



PIONEER HISTORY OF INDIANA. 367 

more than one hour, when the Indians g-ave way and retired 
from the tield. 

Of the Americans, eight were killed outrig-ht and several 
died that day of their wounds. In all there were about fifty- 
five soldiers hit. They lost something more than one hun- 
dred horses. The Indians left on the field fifteen dead. It 
was not known how many they carried off the field dead or 
mortally wounded, but probably as man}' as they left. There 
was no way of ascertaining the number of others wounded 
who were able to get away. 

After the battle was over and the dead were buried, it 
was decided to commence immediatel}' their return trip. They 
were compelled to move very slowlv owing to a number of 
severely' wounded men, whom they had to carry with them. 
Colonel Campbell sent an express to Greenville notifying the 
authorities there of their condition, and a detachment of 
ninet}' men, commanded by Major Adams, started to meet 
them with supplies and conveyances for the wounded. 

At a large town in what is now Delaw^are countv, Indiana, 
the Delaware Indians were in considerable force, and at vari- 
ous other towns up and down that river and its tributaries. 
These Indians were regarded as friendly to the United States 
and were urged to move away from the routes of the hostile 
Indians into the state of. Ohio at a reservation assigned for 
them on the Auglaize river. This arrangement was carried 
out and the friendly Delawares placed themselves under the 
protection of the United States Government. 

During the times of these expeditions against the Indians 
and the many battles wath them, (Governor (iibson and the 
few troops of his command were busy trying to influence the 
people who had settled in the Territory to prepare suitable 
places in each settlement where the people could rally in case 
of danger and defend themselves. 

On the 18th of December, 1S12, General Gibson, acting 
Governor, issued a proclamation in which he required the 
Legislature to meet on the first day of February, 1813. In a 
message which he delivered to the House of Rei)resentatives 
in 1813, the acting Governor said: * "The Governor of the 



368 PIONEER HISTORY OF INDIANA. 

Territory, having- been for some time absent from us, the 
gubernatorial functions consequently devolving upon him 
have been exercised b}' me. In my discharge of this import- 
ant trust, I have been actuated by none other than a wish to 
preserve public rights and protect private property. If I 
have, at an)^ time, failed in my official duties, or erred in my 
plans 3'ou must attribute it to the head and not to the heart. 
My address to you, gentlemen, shall be laconic, for I am not an 
orator nor accustomed to set speeches and did I possess the 
abilities of Cicero or Demosthenes, I could not portray in more 
glowing colors our foreign and domestic political situation than 
it is already experienced within our own breasts. The United 
^States has lately been compelled b}^ frequent acts of injustice 
to declare war against England. I say compelled, for I am 
convinced from the pacific and agricultural disposition of her 
citizens that it must be a case of the last necessity which 
would induce such a measure. For the detailed causes of the 
war, I beg leave to refer )'ou, gentlemen, to the message of 
his excellenc}^ the President, to Congress at the commence- 
ment of the present session. It is highl)^ worthy of the ser- 
ious perusal of the sage and patriot. It does honor to the 
head and heart of Mr. Madison. Although I am not an ad- 
mirer of wars in general, yet, as we are now engaged in a 
necessary and justifiable one, I can exultingly sa}^ that I am 
happ}' to see, in my advanced days, our little but inimitable 
nav}' riding triumphant on the seas; but chagrined to find 
that our armies by land are so little successful. The spirit 
of '76 appears to have fled from our continent, or if not fled, 
is at least asleep for it appears not to pervade our armies 
generall)\ On the contrary, lassitude, and too often schisms 
- — have crept in and usurped the place of patriotic ardor. 

"At 3'our last assemblage, gentlemen, our political hor- 
izon seemed clear; our infant Territory bid fair for a rapid 
and rising grandeur; our population was highly flattering; 
our citizens were becoming prosperous and happ3% and secur- 
ity dwelt everywhere, even on our frontiers. Alas! the 
scene has changed and whether this change, as it respects 
•our Territory has been owing to over anxiety in us to attend 



PIONEER HISTORY^OF INDIANA. 3W 

our dominions or to a wish for a retaliation b}' our foes or to 
a foreign influence, I shall not pretend to decide, but tl at 
there is a change, and that, too, a distressing one, is evidert. 
For the aborigines, our former neighbors and friends, have 
become our most inveterate foes. The}- have drawn t' e 
scalping knife and raised the tomahawk and shouts of sava«,e 
fur}' are heard at our thresholds. Our former frontiers are 
now our wilds and our inner settlements have become froi> 
tiers. Some of our best citizens and old men worn down wiih 
age and helpless women and innocent babes, have fallen vic- 
tims to savage cruelty. Our citizens, even in our towns, ha\e 
frequent alarms and constant apprehensions as to their 
preservation. I have not been inattentive to m}' duty, gen- 
tlemen, but have hitherto and shall continue to exert every 
nerve to afford our citizens all possible protection, and it is 
hoped that the all-wise and powerful Creator and Governor of 
the Universe will not forget his people, but cover us from oi.r 
savage and sanguinar}' foe by his benign interposition." 

During the session of this Legislature there were thirty - 
two laws passed, mostly of local importance to a number of 
sections in the Territory. Fixing the seat of justice in ne v^-' 
counties; an act to organize Gibson and Pike Counties an 1 
defining their boundaries; an act to remove the Territori ;1 
government from Vincennes to Corj'don, Harrison County; ;!n 
act to reduce into one the several acts, establishing a perrn;.- 
nent revenue. "The following tax shall be paid annuall}- on 
one hundred acres of first rate land, and so in proportion fur 
a lesser amount of first rate land, seventy-five cents. On o le 
hundred acres of second rate land, fift}' cents: and so in pro- 
portion for lesser amount of second rate land. On third ra.e 
land, one hundred acres, twenty-five cents; and in proportit»ii 
for lesser amount of third rate land. For every slave or serv- 
ant of color over twelve years of age, two dollars; for a retail 
store, twenty dollars; town lots to be taxed at a rate of fifty 
cents on every hundred dollars worth; for a tavern, not more 
than twenty dollars; for a billiard table, fifty dollars." 

By an act which was approved on the 11th of March, 
1813, the seat of government was declared to be fixed at the 



370 PIONEER HISTORY OF INDIANA. 

town of Corydon from and after the first day of May, 1813. 

After having been in session about forty days, the General 
Assembly, in conformit}^ to a joint resolution of both Houses, 
was prorogued by proclamation of Governor Gibson to meet 
at Corj'don on the first Monday in December, 1813. 

Governor Gibson becoining convinced that the only safety 
to the people in his Territory lay in increasing the number of 
the militia, a proclamation was issued calling for twelve com- 
panies of militia. This call was but partly filled, owing to 
the fact that so many were already on military duty; but the 
number enlisted added much to the prospect of resisting the 
attacks of the Indians when the}' were stationed at the differ- 
ent places along the most exposed part of the Territory. 

Wayne, Franklin and Dearborn Counties, or the eastern 
portion of those counties, being near the thick settlement of 
the state of Ohio, was much more securely protected than 
many other districts to the west. The new companies organ- 
ized — one of them went on dut)-^ on the borders of Wayne,, 
and their line of defense extended along part of Franklin 
County. That company, together with the militia and the 
rangers already on dut}' on that border, made that section 
quite secure. Another company went on dut}' on the north- 
ern borders of Dearborn Count}' and the south and west part 
of Franklin County; another company was placed on duty on 
t le northern border of Clark County, and another company 
went on duty on the northern border of Harrison County; the 
rangers already on duty in these two last named counties co- 
operated with these new militia companies. These two last 
named companies, with all the other military forces in that 
district, were commanded by Major John Tipton, who after- 
ward became U. S. Senator from Indiana. Col. Robert M» 
Evans, who was in charge of this militia, at one time while 
making inspection of the forces somewhere in the woods 
where Jackson County now is, with his large cavalry escort, 
came up to the place where Major Tipton was giving some 
directions to mounted spies. Tipton, not paying the Colonel 
what he (the Colonel) thought was proper military attention, 
Evans said, "What is your name, sir?" Tipton turned 



PIONEER HISTORY OF INDIANA. 371 

around in his saddle and looking at him, said, "If that is of 
any importance. Colonel, my name is John Tipton." "Where 
are your headquarters?" asked the Colonel. The Major re- 
plied, "It is now on this saddle, and tonijj-ht, sir, if I can find 
a tree without a panther being- at roost in it, it will be on this 
saddle at the root of that tree." The Colonel, being a very 
dignified man and much used to formality, in making his re- 
port to Governor Gibson, said: "That varmint that you have 
on duty up in the wilds of Harrison County paid no more at- 
tention to me than he would have to an ordinary man." 

The rest of the militia companies organized, two of them 
being enlisted at Vincennes. were stationed at points above 
and below that post at or near the Wabash river. One of the 
other two companies raised was on dutj' iiear the forks of 
White river and th^ last near Blue river. The ranger service 
which had been organized and was under the command of 
Colonel Hargrove, was all merged into these organizations 
and Colonel Hargrove went on duty under Colonel Evans, 
who commanded all these new levies. 

During the year of 1813 the Indians did not attempt to 
attack any of the forts on the frontiers, but gathered at dif- 
ferent points in small numbers in the neighborhood of a fort 
or blockhouse and laid in wait for days at a time, until they 
caught some unguarded man stealing away from the fort to 
look after his little fields of corn or stock. In this way a 
number of men were killed and several women and children 
captured. Wiih all of the vigilance that the rangers and 
soldiers could bestow upon the ihinly seiiled sections of the 
country, these depredations were committed. Many horses 
were stolen and houses plundered of such things as they 
could carry away, and then burned. 

Within a very few miles of Vincennes at one time, three 
men were killed and scalped and twenty-five horses were sur- 
rounded and captured and ridden away by the Indians. Dur- 
ing the early part of the si)ring of that year two men who 
were cutting a bee tree in Franklin Lounty were surprised by 
seven or eight indians, killed and scalped and their vessels 
full of honey carried away. 



372 PIONEER HISTORY OF INDIANA. 

There was a running- fight between three scouts of Tip- 
ton's command and about twentj^-five Indians. One of the 
men, after running- over eig-ht miles, was shot dead. The In- 
dians lost three of their men in the encounter. 

At a point near White Oak Springs fort (now Peters- 
burg, Ind.), and within the lines of the patrol guard, two 
men were killed while out hunting for their horses that were 
belled. The Indians had caught the horses and tied them in 
a thicket, taking the bells off their necks and climbing into a 
low, bushy tree. At intervals the)' would ring these bells 
and the men, not suspecting any danger, deliberately went 
forward to within a short distance, when two out of the three 
who were together were shot dead by two Indians who were 
hidden in the tree. The third rushed back to the fort, less 
than a mile away, raised the alarm and twenty mounted sol- 
diers went to the point and found the two men dead and 
scalped. The)^ found where the horses had been hitched and 
where the Indians had hurriedly ridden away. 

These maraudings were very annoying, but it was im- 
possible to break them up, as there were many square miles 
in one body of land, which was a perfect wilderness and un- 
surpassed for density. There were a great man}- such places 
as this in which the Indians, in small squads, could hide in 
for weeks at a time without being discovered. 

With all the precaution that could be used, the Indians 
would appear from points near where the guards were sta- 
tioned, killing many of the settlers and stealing their horses. 
A letter written by Major Tipton to General Gibson in April, 
1813, will explain the condition of affairs of the Indiana Ter- 
ritory at this time: 

"Since I have had command of the militia on 
the borders of Harrison and Clark Counties, the 
Indians have caused us much trouble and murdered 
a number of citizens on the frontiers of these coun- 
ties, all of which I have reported to Colonel Evans; 
but in order that you may understand the situation, 
I have directed this letter to you. 

"On the 18th of March one man was killed and 
three others wounded near this place (Valonia). 



PIONEER HISTORY OF INDIANA. 373 

At that time I was not there. On my arrival I 
took twenty-nine men and went up to Drift river, 
twenty-live miles, and here found a party of Indians 
on an island in the river. In a skirmish of twenty 
minutes, I defeated them, killed one and saw others 
sink in the river, and I believe if any made their 
escape by swimming, they lost their guns. I lost 
no men. 

"On the sixteenth inst. two men were killed 
and one wounded southwest eight miles of this 
place and a number of horses were stolen. I im- 
mediately took thirty men and followed them three 
days. We had five large creeks to raft and many to 
wade and every day a heavy rain fell. The third day 
I directed my spies to march slowly. The Indians' 
horses were showing evidences of fatigue, and I 
thought it best not to overtake them until night; 
but contrary to my orders, they came up with one 
Indian who had stopped to fix his pack and fired at 
him. The other Indians were but a little in ad- 
vance and the}' all left their horses and plunder. 
The ground being hill_v, we could not overtake 
them. Had it not been for my orders being dis- 
obeyed, I would have been able to have killed or 
captured them in their camp that night. As they 
went out they passed Salt creek and there took an 
old trail directly for Delaware town, and it is m}"- 
opinion that while the government was supporting 
one part of that tribe, the others were murdering 
our citizens. It is much to be desired that these 
rascals, of whatever tribe the}' may be harboring 
about their town, should be routed. This could be 
done with one hundred mounted men in seven da3's. 

"If there is not an effective measure takefl to 
guard this place, all of Clark and Harrison Coun- 
ties will break. It is rumored here that when the 
rangers come out, the militia will be dismissed. If 
so, our case is a dangerous one, as it is hard for 
mounted men to range through the swamps and 
backwaters of Driftwood and Muscackituck rivers, 
as they have been for most of the season more than a 
mile wide, by reason of low, marshy bottoms which 
overflow, and many times three and four miles 
wide. The Indians come in and secrete themselves 
in some high ground surrounded by water and by 



374 PIONEER HISTORY OF INDIANA. 

the help of bark canoes, come in and do mischief 
and until I came out, never could be found. Since 
I came they have made two attempts to take off the 
horses. The first time, on the 12th inst.. I took 
all their horses but one. The last time I took all 
and still followed them with footmen. The last 
time we lived three days on a little venison, with- 
out bread or salt, and I believe if there are to be 
rangers, there should be spies of young and hard}' 
footmen, who can lay and scout through the 
swamps and thickets as the Indians do; then we 
will be secure, not else. I have been constantly out 
for the last eight days on foot, wading and rafting 
the creeks. I have seen man}' signs of Indians, 
such as camps where they have lain, and killed 
hogs and cattle to live on, and many canoes to ap- 
proach our settlements, and I am conscious if you 
had not ordered out the additional company and 
made those excellent arrangements of the ninth of 
February, all of this frontier would have been 
murdered ere now. The citizens are living be- 
tween hope and despair, waiting to know their 
doom." 

In June, 1813, an expedition of one hundred and thirty- 
five men under Colonel Joseph Bartholomew left Valonia in 
the direction of the Delaware town on the west fork of White 
river to capture several hostile Indians who were thought to 
be among the Delawaies. The most of these places they 
found deserted. Some were burnt and others had been only 
temporarily occupied by the Indians to collect and carry away 
their cog:i. Colonel Bartholomew's forces succeeded in kill- 
ing one Indian and wounding two more and capturing a very 
old man who claimed to be a brother of Buckongahelas, the 
great chief of the Delawares. The old man was fitted up in 
comfortable quarters by the troops and given supplies of food 
and ammunition for his fine gun, a present from Daniel 
Boone, which had engraved on the metal plate, fastened to 
the stock of the gun, "Presented to my friend, Treatway, 
brother of Chief Buckongahelas, for great favor shown me 
when my life was in peril, while a prisoner among the In- 
dians during the year 1779; this is given in .testimony for my 
sincere regard for this kind-hearted Indian. D. Boone." 



PIONEER HISTORY OF INDIANA. 375 

In one of the treaties which Clark had with the Indians, 
3oone, who was one of the commissioners to make the treaty, 
:sent the gun b^- Chief Buckonjjahelas to his brother. 

In July, 1813, Colonel Russel org-anized a force of six 
hundred men at Valonia and marched to the Indian villag-ts 
which were about the mouth of the Mississinewa river, and 
found they were all deserted. It appeared that the Indians 
had all left the country. 

During the summer there were many smaller expeditions, 
ibut they found no Indians. With all of these expeditions, 
there were man}- of the most noted Indian fighters of that 
period, and had they found the Indians, would have given a 
g-ood account of themselves. 

The British still held Detroit, and from that point had 
furnished supplies to the Indians and paid for scalps of the 
Americans up to July, 1813. A young Kentucky woman, 
named McMurtree, was sold to a Canadian officer named 
Rahel in July, 1813, and was recaptured October 5, 1813, after 
the battle of the Thames, when General Procter's headquar- 
ters and all his baggage was captured. With that was a 
large number of American women who had been captured and 
:sold into slavery. With this number was Miss McMurtree, 
and she was recognized by some of her former neighbors b ■• 
longing to a Kentucky' battalion who were in that fight. The 
statements made b}' this lady were so damaging- to the 
British that it was thought best to preserve them. Her tes- 
-timony was taken down by the adjutant of that batallion. 
She said that she was captured at a point about thirty-five 
miles northwest of Louisville as she, with her father, mother 
and brother were coming to Indiana Territory. Her father 
and mother were killed and scalped and she and her brother 
were captured, and after the first day's march, her brother 
was taken by the Indians to a town which they passed near a 
large river and she had never seen him since. Three Indians 
had her in charg-e and took her to Detroit, where she was 
taken into a building in which (juartermaster supplies were 
stored. Here she saw a man who seemed to be in charge of 
that building pay the three Indians who had her in charge 



376 PIONEER HISTORY OF INDIANA. 

s • lie pieces of coin and presented each of them with a Jack- 
ie life and then the Indians gave the man the scalps of her 
nijiher and father. Her father's hair being of a fiery red 
c )lor, this white man made joking- remarks to her that they 
wjuld keep that and would not have to use the steel and 
p ink any more — that they could catch fire by the brilliancy 
of that hair. They sent to the fort or barracks for Lieuten- 
ant Rahel. He returned with the messenger, looked at the 
girl carefully and said to the man who seemed to be in charge 
of the quartermaster's building something she did not under- 
stand. This quartermaster gave each of the Indians a piece 
of coin, also a red blanket. The man who paid for her said 
she would go to his home, that he had a mother there and 
she would provide for her. These was so much excitement 
about the army evacuating Detroit that she saw the 3'oung 
lieutenant but once after this. He was then making prepara- 
tions to send his mother and household effects to Maiden, 
where they remained for a few days until Procter evacuated 
that town. This young man was killed at Maiden while try- 
ing to quell a drunken riot among the Indians. 

After the destruction of Procter's army and the death of 
Tecumseh, the Indians became less troublesome and several 
tribes sued for peace. Among them were some which had 
caused much trouble in Indiana Territory — the Pottawata- 
inies, Miamis and Kickapoos. About the middle of October, 
1 3I3, General Harrison for the United States and several 
t;ibes of Indians, the Miamis, Pottawattamies, W3'andotts, 
Eei. River Miamis, Ottawas and Chippewas, held a meeting 
a. Id agreed on the terms of an armistice, as follows: 

"1. There shall be a suspension of hostilities 
between the United States and said tribes from this 
day until the pleasure of the. Government of the 
United States can be known. In the meantime, 
these said tribes may retire to their hunting 
grounds and be unmolested, if they will behave 
themselves. 

"2. Iri the event of any murder or other dep- 
redations being committed upon any citizen of the 
United States by any of the other tribes of Indians, 



PIONEER HISTORY OF INDIANA. 377 

those who are parties to this ajjreement shall unite 
their efforts to punish the offenders. 

"3. Hostajjes shall be fjfiven b}- said tribes 
who shall be sent into the settlements and there 
remain until the termination of all the differences 
with the United States and said tribes by a council 
to be held for that purpose. 

"4. All prisoners in the possession of said 
tribes shall be immediately broujjfht to Ft. Wayne 
or some other post and delivered to the command- 
inyf officer." 

This armistice affected about three thousand five hun- 
dred Indians. 

During- the early part of the year 1814, General Harrison, 
General Lewis Cass and General Adair were appointed com- 
missioners to hold a conference at Greenville, Ohio, with the 
Indians named in the armistice and all other Indians of the 
Northwest. The information of this treat}' was sent to all 
tribes by the hands of friendly Indians asking- them to meet 
on the 20th of June, 1814, at Greenville to* form a treaty of 
friendship and alliance between the United States and the 
Northwest Indians. Nearly all the tribes of Indians that had 
been at war with the United States responded to this call. 
The negotiations were not concluded until late in July, when 
the treaty of friendship and alliance was signed, and from 
that period on there was but little trouble with the Indians. 

GENERAL JOHN GIBSON. 

In the early part of 1813 Thomas Posey was appointed 
Governor of Indiana Territory, thus relieving General Gib- 
son of his duties of Acting Governor. It is thought to be 
but a just tribute to this g-allant old hero to give a short 
sketch of his life. 

He was born in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, in May, 1740, 
and was well educated for that day. He was of Scotch-Irish 
ancestry and was thoroughly imbued with the patriotism^ 
energy, and physical and intellectual strength so typical of 
these people. In his youth he served under General Forbes, 
who commanded an expedition against Fort DuQuesne on the 
site of the present city of Pittsburg, Pennsylvania, which re- 



378 PIONEER HISTORY OF INDIANA. 

suited in its reduction. This became the first settlement west 
of the main region of the Alleghanies made b}- the English 
and away from the seaboard. He remained in the infant 
town for some time as an Indian trader. In an excursion with 
another part}' into the country in 1763, he was captured by 
the Indians and was adopted by an Indian squaw whose son 
he had slain in battle. He remained with these Indians for 
a time and had an opportunity to acquire the lang-uage 
of several Indian tribes and also to learn their customs and 
manners of warfare and attack, which afterward became of 
great use to him as an Indian trader and government officer. 
His conduct was so exemplary that he won the confidence and 
esteem of his Indian neighbors, and they, in council, deter- 
mined that he should be released and returned to his own 
people. He then resumed business at Pittsburg. 

Governor Dunmore of Virginia organized an expedition 
against the Indians in 1774; Gibson was enlisted by that of- 
ficer to go with them and by his influence with the Indians 
negotiate important treaties. 

The speech of the celebrated Indian chief, Logan, on this 
occasion, which was cited b}- Thomas Jefferson as one of the 
masterpieces of eloquence of all times, owes its English ver- 
sion to the skill of General Gibson in translating it from the 
Indian language. 

On the breaking out of the Revolutionary war, Gibson 
was made Colonel of a Virginia regiment, remaining in that 
command for seven long years; he again returned to Pitts- 
burg. From that district he was elected a member of the 
Pennsylvania Constitutional Convention. He also became a 
Major-General of the militia and an associate judge. 

In 1800 he was appointed Secretary of the Territory of 
Indiana and held the office until 1816. 

At the outbreak of the second war with Great Britain he 
was left as Acting Governor while General Harrison was en- 
gaged at the front. In his old age he became afflicted with 
an incurable cataract which compelled his retirement from 
office. He ended his days with his son-in-law, George Wal- 



PIONEER HISTORY OF INDIANA. 379 

lace, at Braddocks Field, near Vincennes, Indiana, where he 
died in May, 1822. 

LOGAN, THE INDIAN CHIEF. 

The object of this is to show a few of the many instances 
•of the wrong- doing- of the Americans which had much to do 
with bringing: about man}- of the blood curdling atrocities 
of the savag-e race, who were only too g-lad for an excuse to 
destroy the white intruders, as they termed them. 

In showing: this, it is not for a moment intended to ex- 
cuse or paliate the cruel, barbarous and fiendish actions of 
the Indians, who murdered, scalped and burned because they 
loved to destroy. They foug-ht and destroyed their own 
people of other tribes with the same relentless cruelty that 
the}- did the whites; even the members of the same tribe 
would fall out over some trivial thing- and bring: on a feudal war 
which only ended when all the partisans were killed. This is 
the reason the Indians were in so many little bands and the 
^reat reason why they were not more numerous when our 
people came to this country. They had been here for a long- 
time and it is now g-enerally conceded that they over-ran the 
country and destroyed its inhabitants when it was peopled by 
a far superior race. There should not be the least sympathy 
with those who are ever lamenting- the sad fate of the Indians, 
accusing- the white race of stealing- their lands from them. 
The g-ood Lord never intended this fair domain to remain a 
howling wilderness, nor the hands of the world's onward march 
to stop, that a race of barbarians might have this immense 
country for a hunting- g:round. No; it was intended for just 
what has been and is still being: done, making- of it the 
cultured and beautiful home of the g-reatest people that are 
yet on record in the world's history. Of the white people 
who wrong^ed the Indians none were more cruel than Colonel 
Cresap, who was a brave man but the spirit of the border 
ruffian controlled him. He was as cruel as the worst of the 
savag:e Indians at times, and much more resourceful in hunt- 
ing- them and much more determined in battle. Without an 
excuse he and his fellows ambushed and murdered two friend- 



380 PIONEER HISTORY OF INDIANA. 

ly Shawnee Indians agfainst a protest of the better element of 
his followers. The next da}- he led his band and killed sev- 
eral other friendl}' Indians and the day after that they made 
arrangements to march and attack Logfan's camp on Yellow 
Creek, fifty miles away. Young- George Rogers Clark who 
was one of the company, talked with different parties of the 
expedition while they were marching, telling them the In- 
dians the}' were intending to attack were friendly to the 
white people and he felt it a great wrong to murder them. 
Some of the older ones told Cresap that they felt condemned 
for engaging in such uncalled for murder. 

When the party had stopped for dinner young Clark ap- 
pealed to them — "Let. us go and hunt enemies, not friends; 
there are plent\' of them and it is a disgrace for the white 
race to murder the friendly Indians." After talking the mat- 
ter over, Cresap and all the company felt ashamed of their 
action. They about faced and went back to their homes. A 
few days after this a dozen or more Indians, all of them 
Logan's family and relatives, crossed the river from Logan's 
camp and went to a trading post of one Greathouse, where 
rum was for sale. He sold them the fiery liquor until they 
became helplessly drunk and then he and a lot of drunken, 
white men murdered every soul of the party. Had it not 
been for Clark, Cresap instead of Greathouse would have 
been the bloody butcher. The murder of these friendly In- 
dians all came so close together that they were all charged 
to Colonel Cresap by the Indians. The Indians were in a 
furious rage and determined to have revenge for the coward- 
ly, dastardly crime. 

Logan was an Iroquois Indian but had moved away from 
his people and settled among the Mingo tribe and was known 
far and near as the white man's friend. He was named by 
his father for Governor Logan of Pennsylvania. As soon as 
the brutal murder became known the frontier Indians hur- 
riedly made preparations to defend themselves. Logan or- 
ganized the Mingos into a company and commenced his 
bloody work, killing, burning and destroying those he had so 
recently protected, until his cup of revenge was full. After 



PIONEER HISTORY OF INDIANA. 381 

the war had raged for some time, the Shawnees sent word to 
the white people — "Send someone who can understand our 
lang-uag-e."' General John Gibson was selected to g-o. Enter- 
ing- the town he was conducted to the great Shawnee Chief, 
Cornstalk, and other chiefs of the same nation. Logan came 
to the place where they were and asked Gibson to walk with 
him. When the}' had reached a nearby copse of woods, they 
sat down on a log and Logan, after shedding an abundance 
of tears made the following speech to Gibson: "I appeal to 
any white man to sa}' if he ever entered Logan's cabin 
hungry and he gave him not meat. If he ever came cold 
and naked and he clothed him not. During the course of the 
last long and bloody war, Logan remained idily in his cabin, 
an advocate of peace. Such was my love for the whites that 
my countrymen pointed as they passed and said — 'Logan is 
the friend of the white man.' I had even thought to have 
lived with you. but for the injuries of one man. Colonel 
Cresap, who last spring, in cold blood and unprovoked, mur- 
dered all the relatives of Logan, not even sparing my women 
and children. There runs not a drop of my blood in the veins 
of an)' living creature. This called for revenge. I have 
sought it. I have killed many. I have glutted my ven- 
geance. For my country I rejoice at the beams of peace but 
don't harbor for a moment the thought that mine is the jo}' 
of fear — Logan never felt fear. He will not turn on his heel 
to save his life. Who is there to mourn for Logan? Not 
one." 

One of the lords of England, when on a visit to Lord 
Dunmore went with him to the wilds of Virginia and met 
Logan. When he returned home, in a speech telling of what 
he had seen, he said: "I met an Iroquois Indian b : the name 
of Logan and he was the finest specimen of humanity, red or 
white, that my eyes have ever seen." 

GOVERNOK THOMAS POSEY. 

In February, 1813. President Madison appointed Thomas 
Posey who was a senator in Congress at that time from the state 
of Tennesee, Governor of the Indiana Territory. Governor 



382 PIONEER HISTORY OF INDIANA. 

Posey had been an officer in the Revolutionar}' war and went 
to Vincennes to take charge of his office on the 25th of May, 
1813. The Territorial Legislature met at Corydon on the 6th' 
da}^ of December, 1813 and received the Governor's message^ 
This message in part said: 

"The present crisis is awful and big with 
events. Our land and nation is involved in the 
common calamity of war but we are under the pro- 
tecting care of the beneficent Being who has in 
former occasions brought us in safety through an 
adventurous struggle and placed us on a founda- 
tion of independence, freedom and happiness. He 
will not suffer to be taken from us what he has, in 
his great wisdom, thought proper to confer and 
bless us with, if we make a wise and virtuous use 
of his good gifts. 

"Although our affairs at the commencement of 
the war wore a gloomy aspect, the}' have bright- 
ened and promise a ceria nt)" of success if proper- 
ly directed and conducted, of which I have no 
doubt, as the President and heads of departments 
of the general government are men of undoubted 
patriotism, talents and experience, who have grown 
old in the service of their country. It must be ob- 
vious to ever}^ thinking man that we were forced 
into the war. Ever}" measure consistent with 
honor before and since the declaration of war has 
been tried to be on amicable terms with oui; en- 
emies. If they will noi lisien to terms of recipro- 
city and be at peace with us, who is the man who 
is a friend lo this country who will not give a 
helping hand and use his best exertions to preserve 
and maintain inviolate the just rights of this 
country? 

"It is to be hoped that there are none such." 

During that session of the Legislature, which lasted 
altogether thirt}' daA's, there were several very useful and 
commendable laws passed. One of the most important was 
that regulating and reorganizing the Territorial militia. 
Others were to regulate the practice of attorneys; to author- 
ize collection of taxes; an act to regulate elections; an act to 
prevent duelling, requiring all of the civil and military of- 



PIONEER HISTORY OF INDIANA. 383 

ficers to prescribe to an oath that the)' would not accept a 
challenge or carr}' a challenge for a duel. 

Governor Pose}' was in very poor health and had to leave 
the seat of Territorial government and go to Jeffersonville 
for medical attention. He remained away all the time dur- 
ing the session of the Legislature and for a long time after- 
ward. 

The House of Representatives of Indiana Territory, by 
an act of Congress on the 4th of March, 1814, was authorized 
to lay off that territory into five subdivisions or districts, and 
in each of these districts the voters were empowered to elect 
a member to the Legislative Council. The members of the 
House assembled at Corydon in June, 1814, and divided the 
districts in accordance with the said act of Congress. These 
divisions consisted of the following counties: 

1. Washington and Knox. 

2. Gibson and Warrick. 

3. Harrison and Clark. 

4. Jeiferson and Dearborn. 

5. Franklin and Wayne. 

There was a great deal of contention at this time that 
interfered with the administration of the laws. The contro- 
versies grew out of a doubt that the people had as to the 
jurisdiction and powers of the several courts of the Territory, 
To cure this defect, Governor Posey issued a proclamation 
convening the General Assembl}' to meet at Corydon on the 
15th of August, 1814. 

The General Assembl)' was convened for the purpose of 
organizing a judiciary system in conformity to the laws of 
the United States and that Legislature by an act, divided the 
territory into three judicial circuits and made provisions for 
holding courts; detined the jurisdiction of such courts and 
authorized the Governor to appoint a presiding judge in each 
circuit and two associate judges of the circuit courts in each 
county. The Governors wore required by this statute to se- 
lect for the circuit judges men learned in law who were citi- 
zens of the United States and had regularl)' practiced in the 



384 PIONEER HISTORY OP INDIANA. 

courts of the United States or in this Territor)^ for the three 
years previous. 

The administration of justice in the Indiana Territory 
was embarrassed by difficulties which no Territorial Legisla- 
ture could remove. These difficulties were mentioned in a 
memorial by the Territorial General Assembl)' and laid be- 
fore the House of Representatives of the United States on the 
18th of October, 1814. It seems by a former law which Con- 
g^ress had passed, one of the judges appointed for the govern- 
ment of this Territory was authorized to hold court. By this, 
one of the judges was competent to hold a court and decide a 
point of law at one term, and at the next, if the other two 
judges should be present, they might decide the same princi- 
ples of law differently. 

There was another evil growing out of the system of one 
judge holding the superior court, or the court of last resort, 
for appeals were taken from all the courts of inferior juris- 
diction to the court organized b}^ the ordinance, which in- 
ferior courts are never constituted of less than two judges. 
Thus the suitor in the Territory was frequently driven to ap- 
peal from the judgment of the two men to that of one, but 
this only constituted part of the trouble, for the next superior 
court and the other two judges might over-rule the decision of 
their judge at the preceding term. Hence the want of uni- 
formity in the decisions of the court of the last re«ort. 

Some of the evils complained of were cured by an act of 
Congress on February 24, 1815. That act set out that the 
general or superior court of the Indiana Territory should be 
■composed of at least two of the judges appointed by the 
United States. 



After the successes by land and sea of the American 
army and navy, all opposition disappeared from the north- 
west section of the United States, and England seemed to 
have contented herself with the guerilla-marauding, house- 
burning kind of war at exposed places on the Atlantic coast. 
During 1814 there was a large emigration into Indiana Ter- 



PIONEER HISTORY OF INDIANA. 385 

ritory. The trouble with the Indians had passed, never to 
return with any severity in this section. The people com- 
menced to develop the country, build houses, repairing the 
damage done by the Indians and their brutal allies. By the 
time that the joyful news of peace was declared in the latter 
part of December, 1814, all the older settled districts of 
Indiana Territory had received such a large addition to their 
population that the hum of busy industry was heard on every 
hand. They built mills, cleared land, opened roads and in 
many ways started out to develop and improve the rich coun- 
try they had selected for their homes. 

In the year 1814 the General Assembly of Indiana Territory 
granted charters to two banking institutions. The Farmers' 
and Mechanics' Bank of Indiana at Madison was incorporated 
by an act approved the 5th of September. The charter ex- 
tended to the first of January, 1835. That act declared that 
the propert}' of the corporation, including the capital stock, 
should not exceed §750,000.00. An act incorporating the 
Bank of Vincennes was approved on the 10th of September. 
The capital stock of this institution was fixed at $500,000.00, 
the charter authorizing the stockholders to organize a bank 
on prescribed conditions until October 1, 1835. The charters 
of these banking institutions were confirmed by the state 
constitution in 1816. The Legislature by an act of 1817 
adopted the Bank of Vincennes as the State Bank of Indiana. 



In 1814 Frederick Rapp bought a large body of land on 
the Wabash river and founded the society known as the Rap- 
pites and established a town which they named Harmony. 
The society was composed of Germans who were principally' 
natives of Wurtemberg. The members of the society were 
professedly Lutherans and were verj' simple in their manners, 
dress and living. By industry and economy they purchased 
a very large body of land, opened farms, planted vineyards 
and orchards, erected mills for the manufacture of fiour and 
meal and an establishment for the manufacture of various 
sorts of articles of industry. In the town they erected 



386 PIONEER HISTORY OF INDIANA. 

churches and public schools. Their farms, homes and prop- 
ert3% by certain stipulations of agreements in their organiza- 
tion, were owned in common b}' the members of that com- 
munity; and their spiritual welfare was vested in Frederick 
Rapp, who was the founder of the society. They manufac- 
tured many things, having- artisans of man)^ professions — ■ 
hatters, shoemakers, blacksmiths and coopers, tailors, tan- 
ners and wagon-makers, wheelwright mechanics, and sad- 
dlers. They had establishments for spinning and carding 
and making various sorts of cloth, both cotton and woolen 
and the common goods for dresses of that day — flannel and 
linsey. They brought from the old country their love of the 
distilled hops, which they brewed in a large distillery. 

The community under Rapp had in the neighborhood of 
nine hundred persons. Schoolcraft, who visited New Har- 
mon v in 1821, said: "There is not an individual in that so- 

« 

ciet}" who is of the proper age who does not contribute his 
proportional share of labor. They have neither spendthrifts 
nor drunkards, and during the whole period of their residence 
in America, about seventeen years, there has not been a 
single lawsuit among them. If a misunderstanding or quar- 
rel occurs, it is a rule to settle it before retiring to rest, thus 
obeying the injunctions of the prophets." 

In 1825 the town of Harmony, now called New Harmony, 
was sold to Robert Owen, of Scotland, and Mr. Rapp and his 
associates moved awa3^ Mr. Owen came from Scotland and 
was regarded as a philanthropist who did not regard Chris- 
tianit}' as an essential element of societ}', and made efforts to 
establish a community at New Harmony who were under the 
same impression. 

There is a ver}- interesting volume written by Lockwood 
giving a full history of the Harmon}- movement. The author 
will onl}' give here an anecdote showing Father Rapp's re- 
sourcefulness in bringing his adherents to his way of think- 
ing. The latter part of this has not been published before. 

Those who are familiar with the histor}" of the Rappites 
will recall that while they were at New Harmony, Father 
Rapp in many instances had difl&culty in bringing his indus- 



PIONEER HISTORY OF INDIANA. 387 

trious followers to a point where the}' were willing' to leave 
their works of useful industry to gratif}' his ideas for erect- 
ing great structures. At one time Rapp was ver}' desirous of 
building a large granar}- to store the cereal the community 
raised and also to build a very large military fortress pierced 
with portholes for artillery and musketry in tiers one above 
the other, in case he should have trouble with the Indians. 
He allowed his wants to become known to the communit}^ 
but they demurred against his wishes. He then realized that 
the time was at hand when he must bring- to his aid other 
than temporal things to gain his point. For the time he 
seemed to acquiesce in their opposition. In the meantime he 
sent some of his trusted adherents with a boat to a point on 
the Mississippi river, where he knew there were two large pic- 
tograph rocks. In each of them was an impression of an enor- 
mous human foot. These boats were returned at nig-ht and the 
treasured rocks were conve3'ed into Rapp's front yard and 
nicely imbedded in the turf The next morning he sent a 
courier around to see all his people and invited them at a cer- 
tain hour to come to his house. When the people arrived 
they were amazed to find these two great slabs of sione with 
the immense footprints. In a short lime Father Rapp came 
slowly oui of his house and walked down to where the people 
were standing and in a very meek and submissive manner told 
the people ihai during the night Gabriel had come down 
from Heaven on these stones and had given him instructions 
to forthwith proceed lo the erection of ihe granary and the 
g-reai military fortress, and thai if he failed lo carry out 
these injunctions, there would be visited upon him and his 
people plagues and disasters which would be their ruin. This 
was all that was needed. The shoemaker lorsook his bench, 
the halter his blocks, the tailor his table, the blacksmith his 
anvil, the weaver his loom, and the dyer his pots, the farmer 
his plow, and even the distiller left otf brewing his favorite 
beverages in the great rush to erect that immense granary 
and military fortress, which is standing ttjday in a good state 
of ^^reservation at New Harmony, Indiana. 



CHAPTER XVI. 



INDIANA BECOMES A STATE. 



Constitution Adopted — Officers Selected — Governor 
Jennings' First Message — Boundary and Area of 
State — Survey — Taxes — Internal Improvements — 
Purchase of Indian Claims — Counties Organized — 
Ague and Other Illness — Failure of State Banks — 
William Hendricks Elected Governor — Site of In- 
dianapolis Chosen for Capital — Indianians Called 
HoosiERS — Counties Organized — White Men Exe- 
cuted FOR Murder of Indians — A Letter From Oliver 
H. Smith — Improvements Recommended by Governors 
Hendricks and Ray. 



On the first Monda_v in December, 1815, the Leg-islature 
of Indiana Territory met at Corydon. Governor Posey was 
still an invalid at Jeffersonville, but on 
his messag-e to the General Assembly, 
congratulating- them and the country on 
the termination of the war, and alluded 
to the vast tide of emigration which 
was coming into the Territory from 
ever}' quarter, and advising the Legis- 
lature to make such wholesome laws as 
would develop the country and add to the comfort of the new 
comers. Among the beneficial acts that he asked them to 
look after, was education and the opening of public highwa5'S 
throughout the settled portions of the Territory. The Leg- 
islature, which lasted for thirty da)'s. passed some amend- 




PIONEER HISTORY OF INDIANA. 389 

ments to the existiriiif laws and adopted some others which 
would meet the requirements of the condition of the Territory, 
A memorial was adopted by that Legislature and sent to 
Mr. Jenning-s, the Territorial delegate in Congress, which he 
laid before that body. It contained the followin bJo 

"Whereas, The ordinance of Congress for the 
government of this Territory has provided that 
when there shall be sixty thousand free inhabit- 
ants therein, this Territory shall be admitted into 
the Union of equal footing with the original states; 
and whereas, by the census taken by the authority 
of the Legislature of this Territory, it appears that 
the number of free white inhabitants exceeds 
sixty thousand, we therefore pray the honorable 
Senate and House of Representatives, in Congress as- 
sembled, to order an election according to the exist- 
ing laws of this Territory to be held in the several 
counties on the first Monday in May, 1816, for rep- 
resentatives to meet in convention at the seat of 
government of this Territory on the 10th day of 
June, 1816, who, when assembled, shall determine 
by a majority of the votes of all the members 
elected whether it will be expedient to form a 
state government, and if it is determined expedient, 
the convention thus assembled shall have the power 
to form a constitution and frame of government, or 
if it be deemed inexpedient to provide for the elec- 
tion of representatives to meet in convention at 
some future time to form a constitution. Whereas, 
the inhabitants of this Territory are principally 
emigrants from every part of the Union and as 
various in their customs and sentiments as in their 
persons, we think it prudent at this time to express 
to the General Government our attachment to the 
fundamental principles of legislation prescribed by 
Congress in their ordinance for the government of 
this Territory, particularly as respects personal 
freedom and involuntary servitude, and hope they 
may be continued as a basis of the constitution." 

The memorial was referred to a committee, of which Mr. 
Jennings was chairman, and on the 5th of January, 1816, was 
reported to the House of Representatives of the United 
States. A bill enabling the people of Indiana Territory to 



390 PIONEER HISTORY OF INDIANA. 

form "(a constitution and state g-overnment and for the 
admission of the state into the Union on the same basis as 
other states had been admitted, was passed by Congress and 
approved by the President of the United States on the 19th of 
April, 1816. 

On Monday, the 13th day of May, 1816, members of the 
constitutional convention were elected in proportion to the 
population of each county in the Territory of Indiana. 

Clark County — White males over 21 years. 
1,387; total population, 7,150. Members of the con- 
vention, Jonathan Jennings, James Scott, Thomas 
Carr, John K. Graham and James Lemmon. 

Dearborn County — White males over 21 years, 
902; total population, 4,424. Membeis of the con- 
vention, James Dill, Solomon Manwaring- and Ezra 
Ferris. 

Franklin County — White males over 21 years, 
1,430; total population, 7,370. Members of the con- 
vention, William H. Eads, James Brownlee, Enoch 
McCarty, Robert Hannah, Jr., and James Noble. 

Gibson County — White male inhabitants over 
21 years, 1,100; total population, 5,330. Members 
of convention, David Robb, James Smith, Alexan- 
der Devin and Frederick Rapp. 

Harrison County — White male inhabitants 
over 21 years, 1,050; total, 6,975. Members of con- 
vention, Dennis Pennington, Davis Floyd, Daniel 
C. Lane, John Boone and Patrick Shields. 

Jefferson County — White males over 21 years, 
874; total, 4,270. Members to convention, David 
H. Maxwell, Samuel Smock and Nathanial Hunt. 

Knox County — White males over 21 years, 
1,391; total, 8,068. Members to convention, John 
Johnson, John Badollet, William Polk, Benjamin 
Park and John Bennetield. 

Posey County — White males over 21 years, 
320; total population, 1,619. Member to conven- 
tion, Dann L3'nn. 

Perry County — White males over 21 years, 
350; total population, 1,720. Member to conven- 
tion, Charles Polke. 

Switzerland County- — White male citizens 
over 21 years, 377; total population, 1,832. Member 
to convention, William Cotton. 



PIONEER HISTORY OF INDIANA. 391 

Wayne County — White males over 21 years, 
1,225; total i)opulation, ().4()7. Members to conven- 
tion, Jeremiah Cox, Patrick Baird, Joseph Holman 
and Huf^h (iull. 

Washington County — White males over 21 
3-ears, 1,420; total population, 7,317. Members to 
convention, John DePauw, Samuel Milro}', Robert 
McAntire, William Lowe and William Graham. 

Wakkick County - White males over 21 3ears, 
280; total population, 1,415. Member to conven- 
tion, Daniel Grass. 

Grand Total Population — 63,897. 

The convention assembled at Cor3'don on the 10th of 
June, 1816, and completed its work on the 29th dav of June, 
1816. Jonathan Jenning-s was chosen to preside over the 
convention and William Hendricks was elected secretar}'. 
The constitution framed by the men of this convention was a 
practical business document, and in the interest of "^ood gov- 
ernment and for the advancement of the individual and state 
interests. Under the wise provisions of this constitution the 
State of Indiana made rapid advancement in the improve- 
ments of the country and in upbuilding' of state institutions 
and in internal improvements, which were carried out for the 
advancement of the interest, comfort and convenience of the 
people. 

Under this code of laws made by the old pioneers (who 
had undergone the perils, hardships and manv privations in 
order that they might have this rich domain as a home for 
themselves and to transmit as a princely heritage to their 
children), with amendments adopted from time to time, the 
people of this state lived and prospered for thirt3'-six years, 
when it was thought best to adopt a new constitution in 1852. 

An act of Congress enabling the people of Indiana Terri- 
tor3- to form a constitution and state government, contained 
several conditions and propositions with respect to boundaries, 
jurisdiction, school lands, salt springs and land for seat of 
government. All the conditions and propositions were ac- 
cepted by an ordinance which passed the Territorial conven- 
tion on the 29th of June, 1816. 



392 PIONEER HISTORY OF INDIANA. 

The officers of the Territorial Government of Indiana, 
including the Governor, Secretar)^ of State, Judges, civil and 
military officers, were required by the provisions of the State 
constitution to continue the exercise of their duties until they 
were superseded by officers under the authority of State 
government. The president of the convention which formed 
the constitution was required to issue writs of election to the 
sheriffs of the different counties, requiring them to call an 
election to be held for Governor, Lieutenant Governor, a Rep- 
resentative to Congress of the United States, members of the 
General Assembly, sheriffs and coroners, at the respective 
election districts in each county; election to be held the first 
Monday in August, 1816. At the first general election held 
in the different counties in Indiana, Jonathan Jennings was. 
elected Governor, receiving 5,211 votes. His opponent was 
Thomas Posey, then Governor of Indiana Territory, he re- 
ceiving 3,934. Christopher Harrison, Washington County, 
was elected Lieutenant Governor; William Hendricks was 
elected the first Representative from the State of Indiana to 
Congress. At that election the following named individuals 
from the counties here named were elected as Senators and 
Representatives: 

SENATE. 

Knox County: William Polk. 

Gibson County: William Prince. 

Posey, Perry and Warrick Counties: Daniel Grass. 

Wayne County: Patrick Baird. 

Franklin County: John Conner. 

Washington, Orange and Jackson Counties: John Depauw. 

Jefferson and Switzerland Counties: John Paul. 

Dearborn County: Ezra Ferris. 

Harrison County: Dennis Pennington. 

Clark County: James Beggs. 

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES. 

Clark County: Benjamin Ferguson, Thomas Carr and 
John K. Graham. 

Dearborn Count}": Amos Lane and Erasmus Powell. 



PIONEER HISTORY OF INDIANA. 39S 

Franklin County: James Noble, David Mount and James 
Brownlee. 

Gibson County: John Johnson and Edmund Hogan. 

Harrison County: John Boone, Davis Floyd and Jacob 
Zenor. 

Jefferson County: Samuel Alexander and Williamson 
Dunn. 

Knox County: Walter Wilson, Henry I. Mills and Isaac 
Blackford. 

Posey County: Daniel Lynn. 

Perr}^ Count}-: Samuel Conner. 

Switzerland County: John Dumont. 

Wayne County: Ephriam Overman, Joseph Holman and 
John Scott. 

Washing-ton County: Samuel Milroy and Alexander 
Little. 

Warrick County: Ratcliffe Boone. 

Jackson Count}" William Graham. 

Orange County: Johnathan Linley. 

The first meeting of the General Assembly commenced 
its session at Corydon on the 4th of November, 1816. John 
Paul was elected chairman of the Senate pro-tem until the 
oath of ofl&ce would be administered to Lieutenant Governor 
Harrison. Isaac Blackford was elected Speaker of the House 
of Representatives November 7th; the oath of office was ad- 
ministered to Governor Jennings and Lieutenant Governor 
Harrison, after which Governor Jennings delivered his first 
message to the General Assembly. This message was so re- 
plete with many good things for the interest of the inhabit- 
ants of the young state and gave evidence of such wise ad- 
ministration for the people, that it is here given in full: 

"Gentlemen of the Senate and House of Rep- 
resentatives: 

"The period has arrived which has devolved 
on you the important duty of giving the first im- 
pulse to the government of the State. The result 
of your deliberation will be considered as indica- 
tive of its future character, as well as the future 
happiness and prosperity of its citizens. The repu- 



394 PIONEER HISTORY OF INDIANA. 

tation of the State; as well as its highest interest, 
will require that a just and generous policy toward 
the general g-overnment and due regard to the 
rights of its members, respectively, should invari- 
ably have their proper influence. 

In the commencement of the State government 
the shackels of the colonial should be forgotten in 
your united exertions to prove, by happy experi- 
ence, that a uniform adherence to the first princi- 
ples of our government and a virtuous exercise of 
its powers, will best secure efficiency to its meas- 
ures and stability to its character. Without a fre- 
quent recurrence to those principles, the adminis- 
tration of the government will imperceptibly be- 
come more and more arduous, until the simplicity 
of our republican institutions may eventually be 
lost in dangerous expedients and political design. 
Under every free government the happiness of the 
citizens must be identified with their morals, and 
while a constitutional exercise of their rights shall 
continue to have its due weight in the discharge of 
the duties required of the constituted authorities of 
the State, too much attention cannot be bestowed 
to the encouragement and promotion of everj' moral 
virtue and to the enactment of laws calculated to 
restrain the vicious and prescribe punishment for 
ever}' crime commensurate to its enormit}'. 

"In measuring, however, to each crime its ade- 
quate punishment, it will be well to recollect that 
the certainty of punishment has generally the 
surest effect to prevent crime, while punishments 
unnecessarily severe too often produce the ac- 
quittal of the guilty and disappoint one of the 
greatest objects of legislation and good govern- 
ment. The dissemination of useful knowledge will 
be indispensably necessary as a support to morals 
and a restraint to vice, and on this subject 
it will only be necessary to direct your attention to 
the plan of education as prescribed by the consti- 
tution. 

"I recommend to your consideration the pro- 
priety of providing by law, to prevent more effect- 
ually any unlawful attempts to seize and carry into 
bondage persons of color legally entitled to their 
freedom, and at the same time, as far as practi- 



PIONEER HISTORY OF INDIANA. 3*J5 

cable, to preveat those who rig-htfully owe service 
to the citizens of aii}- other state or territor}' from 
seeking-, within the limits of this state, a refuge 
from possession of their lawful owners. Such a 
measure will tend to secure those who are free 
from an}' unlawful attempts Cto ens4ave them) and 
secure the rights of the citizens of the other states 
and territories as far as ought reasonably to be ex- 
pected." 

BOUNDARY AND AREA. 

The State of Indiana is situated between the parallels of 
37 degrees, 50 minutes and 41 degrees, 46 minutes north lati- 
tude, and between 8 deg-rees, 48 minutes and 11 degrees and 1 
minute west longitude from Washing-ton. The extreme 
length from north to south is two hundred and seventy-six 
miles. The state, however, is nearly an oblong, the only ir- 
regularities being the Ohio river on the south and where the 
Wabash is the dividing line between it and Southern Illinois. 
The average length is two hundred and forty miles, the aver- 
age width one hundred and fifty-two miles, making the con- 
tents about thirty-six thousand five hundred square miles, or 
twenty-three million three hundred and sixty thousand acres. 

By the ordinance of Cong-ress of April 19, 1816, the con- 
templated state was to be bounded on the east by a meridian 
line which forms the western boundary of the State of Ohio, 
being a northern line from the mouth of the Miami; on the 
south by the River Ohio, from the mouth of the great Miami 
to the mouth of the River Wabash; on the west b)' a line 
drawn along the middle of the Wabash from its mouth to a 
point where a due north line drawn from the town of Vin- 
cennes would last touch the northwestern shore of said river 
and from thence by a due line north until the same should 
intersect an east and west line drawn through a point ten 
miles north of the southern extremity of Lake Michigan; on 
the north by the said east and west line until the same shall 
intersect the first mentioned meridian line, which forms the 
western boundary of the State of Ohio. 

Indiana is therefore bounded by Ohio on the east. Ken- 



396 PIONEER HISTORY OF INDIANA. 

tucky on the south, Illinois on the west, and Michigan on the 
north. 

The titles to the lands in this state have been acquired 
and the lands all passed through the general government, ex- 
cept the French grants near Vincennes, v^^hich were con- 
firmed to the descendants of the early settlers there, and the 
grants near the falls of the Ohio made to Clark's regiment by 
the State of Virginia for their services in the Indian cam- 
paign. 

In the surveys, meridian lines were first established run- 
ning due north from the mouth of some river or from some 
other point easily located. These are intersected at right 
angles by lines running east and west and called base lines. 

The first principal meridian for the State of Indiana is a 
line running due nortli from the mouth of the Miami, and is 
in fact the east line of the state. The second principal 
meridian is a line running due north from the mouth of 
Little Blue river, eighty-nine miles west of the eastern state 
line. The only base line running through the state crosses 
it from east to west in latitude 38 degrees, 30 minutes, leav- 
ing the Ohio twenty-five miles above Louisville and striking 
the Wabash four miles above the mouth of White river. 
From this base line the Congressional townships of six miles 
square are numbered north and south from the second principal 
meridian crossing the base line six miles south of Paoli, in 
Orange County; all the ranges of township are numbered east 
and west, except the counties of Switzerland, Dearborn and 
parts of Franklin, Union, Wayne and Randolph. This part 
of the state, which was acquired by the Greenville treaty in 
1795, was attached to the land office at Cincinnati and was 
surveyed in townships from a base line fifteen miles north of 
the former and it ranges west of the first principal meridian. 

Townships are sub-divided into thirty-six equal parts or 
thirty-six square miles, containing six hundred and forty 
acres each, called sections. These sections are sub-divided 
into halves of three hundred and twenty acres and quarters 
of one hundred and sixty acres each, which last are again 
sub-divided into halves of eighty acres and into quarters of 



PIONEER HISTORY OF INDIANA. 397 

eight}' acres and into quarters of fort}- acres each. 

The townships are laid off into sections, commencing- at 
the northeast corner, numbering from the right to the left 
hand and from the left to right hand until the thirty-six sec- 
tions are numbered. 

The Territorial government of Indiana ended on the 7th 
of November, 1816, when it was superseded b}' the state gov- 
ernment and the state was formally admitted by resolution of 
Congress, approved the 11th of December the same year. 
The tirst Senators elected to represent Indiana in the United 
States Senate were James Noble and Waller Taylor. Robert 
C. New was elected Secretary of State; William H. Lilly was 
elected Auditor; Daniel C. Lane, Treasurer. After this the 
first General Assembly adjourned on the third day of Janu- 
ary, 1817. 

The citizens of the infant state had but very few among 
its number who were well off financially, and as the amount 
required to run the state machiner}' at that period was not 
large, the taxes on the property were kept at the lowest 
possible figure. For state revenue purposes the taxes were 
raised from the land, of which they made three classes. In 
1817 and 1818 the rate of taxation on one hundred acres of 
first rate land was one dollar; on a hundred acres of second 
rate land, eighty-seven and a half cents; on a hundred acres 
of third rate land it was fifty cents. In 1821 it was increased 
to a dollar and a half on one hundred acres of first rate land 
and other land in proportion. About this same rate of tax- 
ation was continued until the year 1831, when the taxes on 
one hundred acres of first rate land were reduced to eight)^ 
cents; second rate land, sixty cents, and third rate land, forty 
cents. The tax for the funds to support the county institu- 
tions and officers, taking care of the poor and for such im- 
provements on public highways as building bridges, etc., was 
secured from a poll tax on the head of every man over twent)'- 
one and under fifty years, and from all sorts of merchandise 
and personal propert}' and a license to venders of all sorts of 
merchandise. Even at these low rates of taxation it was a 
^reat hardship on many people to pay the small amounts as- 



398 PIONEER HISTORY OF INDIANA. 

sessed against them. Nearly all the people were more or less 
in debt in small amounts, and in some cases for the money 
which purchased their lands. Very little of the land was 
cleared up and productive, and it was several years after 1820 
before the people could depend upon agricultural sources for 
money. Nearly all of the men put in their time on the chase 
and paid but very little attention to clearing the land or cul- 
tivating the soil. 

While it was true that mone}' was hard to get and many 
of the people had nothing practicalh' in this way, there never 
were people who lived better or had more of the real comforts 
that come to people who are willing to accept the situation 
and make the best of it, than did the pioneers of Indiana. 
Their homes at that time were log cabins and were finished 
in a very rude manner— in most cases with such furniture as 
the men could make b}- the use of an auger and an ax. 

During Jennings' administration as Governor of Indiana, 
the inconvenience of transporting articles of merchandise and 
of travel, was so apparent that the first note of internal im- 
provements was sounded by him in a message to the Legisla- 
ture in 1818, in which he said: 

"The internal improvements of the state form 
a subject of the greatest importance and deserves 
the most serious consideration. Roads and canals 
are calculated to afford facilities for commercial 
transaciions connected with the exports and im- 
ports of ihe country, by lessening the expense and 
lime attendant, as well as on the transportation of 
bulky articles which compose our exports, as on the 
importation of articles, the growth and manufac- 
ture of foreign countries, which luxury and habit 
have rendered too common and indispensable to our 
consumption. They enhance the value of the soil 
by affording agriculturists the means of deriving 
greater gains from its cultivation with an equal 
proportion of labor, thereby presenting stronger 
inducements to industry and enterprise, and at the 
same time, by various excitements, invite to a 
more general intercourse between the citizens. The 
success which had attended the exertions of the 
Jeffersonville and Ohio Canal Company affords a 



PIONEER HISTORY OF INDIANA. 399 

flattering" prospect of a speed}' commencement upon 
a great object for which the corporation was cre- 
ated, and presents still stronger claims upon the 
General Assembly to aid in its ultimate executiori." 

Governor Jennings in 1818, in connection -with General 
Cass and Judge Parks, was appointed a commissioner to 
treat with the various tribes of Indians for lands in central 
Indiana. In the series of treaties they succeeded in purchas- 
ing the Indians' claims to all the lands in the central part of 
the state. In fact, except the Miami, Thorntown and a few 
other small reservations, they purchased all the land south of 
the Wabash river. This was a ver}' important transaction 
for Indiana, and was of sufficient excuse, in the opinion of 
the majority of the people, for the violation of the clause in 
the constitution which forbids the Governor of the State to 
hold any office under the United States. In order to insure 
success, the contemplated proceeding's were kept secret. The 
negotiations were not protracted and the offense, whatever it 
may have been, was wholly inadvertent on the part of the 
Governor. He was, however, very much chagrined when he 
learned that his conduct had been called into question. He 
threw his commission into the tire and left it to his enemies, 
as he called them, to sustain their charge The subject came 
up before the Legislature whether the Governor had not va- 
cated his office, thereby devolving it on the Lieutenant Gov- 
ernor by acting as commissioner of the United States. The 
Legislature, however, appreciated the motives of the Gov- 
ernor and declined any action in the premises. Lieutenant 
Governor Harrison immediately resigned his office and at the 
August election of 1819 was a candidate against Jennings for 
Governor. Jennings received 9,l(i8 votes out of 11.25(», 

During the year 1816 the following counties were organ- 
ized: 

Pike County, containing 338 square miles. 

Jennings County, containing 380 square miles. 

Monroe County, containing 420 s<iuare miles. 

Orange County, containing 400 S(juare miles. 

Sullivan County, containing 430 square miles. 



400 PIONEER HISTORY OF INDIANA. 

During- the year 1817 the following counties were organ- 
ized: 

Davis County, containing 420 square miles. 

Dubois County, containing 432 square miles. 

Scott County, containing 200 square miles. 

In the year 1818 the following counties were organized: 

Crawford County, containing 320 square miles. 

Lawrence County, containing 438 square miles. 

Martin County, containing 340 square miles. 

Morgan Count}', containing 453 square miles. 

Owen County, containing 3% square miles. 

Randolph County, containing 440 square miles. 

Ripley County, containing 440 square miles. 

Spencer County, containing 408 square miles. 

Vanderburg County, containing 240 square miles. 

Vigo County, containing 408 square miles. 

Floyd County was organized in 1819, containing 144 
square miles. 

The first few years after the state was admitted into the 
Union the price of government land was held at two dollars 
an acre. One-fourth of which must be paid down and the 
balance in three equal annual payments and a year of grace 
after the last payment became due before forfeiture was ex- 
acted. If paid at the end of four years, interest was exacted 
on all the unpaid installments. The g-overnment allow- 
ing credit to the purchaser caused many men to bargain 
for more land than it was possible for them to pay for. 
In many cases thej- would borrow money and buy a half 
section or more of land, paying one-fourth or fifty cents an 
acre. Good land at this time advanced very rapidly in 
price. About the 3'ear 1818 there was great trouble caused 
b)- so man)' who were unable to secure mone}' to settle the 
second or third payments. 

By 1821 thousands of those purchasers were unable to 
meet their obligations as it was utterl}' impossible for them 
to secure the money. This subject was brought up before 
Congress and the plan that was agreed upon was probably 
most favorable to the people of an}' that could have been 



PIONEER HISTORY OF INDIANA. 401 

adopted. All interest, which then amounted in man)' cases 
to more than one-third of the debt was released. Lands en- 
tered, that part payments had been made on, were allowed to 
be relinquished and the amount that had been advanced was 
applied on such lands as the purchaser would select, paj-ing 
for it in full. The lands were thereafter sold for cash only 
at $1.25 an acre. 

The three 3'ears of 1820, '21 and '22 were attended with 
more fatal sickness than has ever been known either before 
or since in the western countr}'. Man}' of the )'oung- towns 
which were county seats, which had sprung- up in the vari- 
ous parts of the countr}', were almost depopulated. During- 
that time verj' few persons escaped without one or more se- 
vere attacks of fever. The prevailing- disease was what is 
known as bilious or remittent fever, in man)' cases differing: 
very little from the yellow fever known in the extreme south. 
In all parts of the new country, owing- to so much decaying veg- 
etation, there was a great deal of malaria and almost every- 
body was affected with it. The regular old shaking- "ag-ue 
fits" and fever were common on every hand. 

The persons owning milk cows permitted them to graze 
on the rich range of the country, and from some cause the 
cows contracted a disease called Tires, or Milk-sickness. The 
disease was thus conveyed to the people and in many cases 
proved fatal. A tired and weary feeling was the chief char- 
acteristics of this disease, and many times the little calves 
would reel and fall down while sucking milk from their 
mothers. As the country was cleared this disease became 
less prevalent, and in a few years entirely disappeared. The 
same was also true of the ague which was so prevalent. 

In November, 1821, Governor Jennings convened the Legisr 
lature in extra session to make provisions for the pa)'ment of 
the interest on the state debt. It was thought that a sufficient 
amount for that purpose could be realized on the notes of the 
State Bank and its branches, and the Governor urged upon 
the Legislature that the public debt could honestly and con- 
scientiously be paid with these depreciated notes. He said 
that it would be oppressive if the state, after the paper of 



402 PIONEER HISTORY OF INDIANA. 

this institution was authorized to be circulated in revenue^ 
should be prevented t^' any assig-nment of the evidence of the 
existing debt, from discharging- at least so much of the debt 
with the paper of the bank as would absorb the collections of 
that year, especially when their notes were to be made re- 
ceivable by the ag-ent of the state because g-reatly depreciated 
by mismanagement on the part of the bank itself. It was not 
to be expected that a public loss to the state should be 
avoided by resorting- to any measures which would not com- 
port with the correct views of public justice, nor should it be 
anticipated that the Treasurer of the United States would 
ultimately adopt measures to secure an uncertain debt, which 
would interfere with the arrang-ement calculated to adjust 
the demands against the state without producing- an ad- 
ditional embarrassment. 

The manufacturing industries which had been started in 
New England and the Atlantic states furnished a g-ood de- 
mand for cotton that was raised in the Southern states and 
territories. This furnished labor for a large number of per- 
sons in the East, also a larg-e amount of slave labor in the 
south and there was a g-reat demand for produce raised in 
the western states. Flat-boating- commenced and was in full 
blast, carr3'ing corn, wheat and pork to New Orleans, where 
it was then distributed to the cotton country and by ship to 
the New England shores. All sorts of business flourished 
and there was a great deal of emigration into this state. 
This favorable condition of thing-s was noted by the min- 
isters of foreign countries. There being no tariff (or not a 
sufticient one) to protect our new industries, in a short time 
immense (juantities of goods were imported into our country 
■jvhich could be sold for much less price than our new man- 
ufacturing institutions could make them. This stopped our 
manufacturing business, broke down the demand for cotton 
and desti-oyed, or nearly so, our llat boat trade with produce 
in the south. 

For the next few years after 1S20, produce became so 
cheap that it did not pay to raise any more than was needed 
for the home consumption. Everything and all sorts of busi- 



PIONEER HISTORY OF INDIANA. 403 

ness was affected from the same cause. Land that had been 
advancing' in price during the short period of good times was 
now in no demand. Improved farms which had been worth 
from six to ten dollars per acre were not worth now more than 
two and a half. Contracts which were made during the good 
times, where deferred payments were to be made, caused ruin 
to many parties. 

It was impossible to collect debts by forced sales; nobod}'' 
wanted property. The failure of the bank at Vincennes that 
had become the state bank of Indiana, and its branches at 
Corydon, Brookfield and Veva}- left a large amount of worth- 
less paper in the hands of the people. This was another 
severe blow to the people of this State. There was no possi- 
ble reason why this bank and its branches should not have kept 
solvent if they had lived up to the conditions of their charter; 
but speculation and peculation were engaged in contrary to 
the stipulated and lawful conditions of the charter of this 
bank, which brought ruin to it and injured thousands of the 
citizens of Indiana. The Government of the United States 
received onls' thirty-seven thousand dollars on a deposit of 
two hundred thousand dollars for land sales. 

The bank at Madison, Indiana, was an honest institution 
and was g-overned by a Board of Directors and bank officers 
who regarded a solemn oath to mean that it was their duty to 
protect those who intrusted them with the keeping of their 
means, and not to mean to get all they could by honest or 
dishonest means and keep it all. The financial pressure on 
this bank, however, was very heavy, caused by the failure of 
the others, and it was forced to suspend. A little while af- 
terward it terminated its business and paid the last farthing 
of its debts. 

These bank failures were one of the real causes of such 
hard times in Indiana at that period. There was very little 
coin in the country at that time, the silver, with the excep- 
tion of a small amount of subsidiary coin, the old style bits 
^.twelve and a half cent pieces) and what was termed by the 
Hoosiers "fo-pence" (six and a half cents), was all Mexican 
dollars. The}' cut many of these dollars into quarters and 



404 PIONEER HISTORY OF INDIANA. 

sometimes into eig-hths when the transaction called for twelve 
and a half cents. Then, as now, some who wanted to get the 
best of the barg-ain would cut the dollar into five pieces, thus 
making a quarter on each dollar cut up. This became so 
common that man)^ country commissioners had a diag-ram 
made of a cut quarter when a dollar was to be cut in equal 
parts, and when psLjing taxes and cut mone)' was used, it had 
to conform to the diagram or it was rejected. Storekeepers 
resorted to the same expedient to detect short quarters. 

When blacksmithing- was needed, if the account amounted 
to a quarter and the customer had a dollar to pay it with, 
the}' took the dollar and laid it on the anvil and the black- 
smith, with a cold chisel, cut out a notch of one-fourth of the 
dollar for his pa}". Some times a round bit would be fur- 
nished when the article was only six and a fourth cents and 
it would be cut in the middle. 

Governor Jenning-s was elected to two terms as Governor 
of Indiana. At the August election of 1822 he was elected as 
member to Cong-ress and served in that position until 1831. 
Soon after his being- elected to Cong-ress, he resig-ned his po- 
sition of Governor and was succeeded by Ratliffe Boone, of 
Boonville, Indiana, who at that time was Lieutenant Gov- 
ernor. At the election of Aug-ust, 1822, William Hendricks 
was elected Governor. He was a g-ood man and made a g-ood 
Governor and held that position until 1825, when he was 
elected United States Senator. 

In 1820 a committee was appointed to select a suitable 
place for a state capital. The commissioners for that pur- 
pose were George Hunt, of Wayne County; John Conner, of 
Fayette County; Stephen Ludlow, of Dearborn County; 
Joseph Bartholomew, of Clark County; John Tipton, of Har- 
rison County; Thomas Emmerson, of Knox County; Jesse B. 
Durham, of Jackson County; John Gilliland, of Switzerland 
County, and Frederick Rapp, of Posey County. William 
Prince was appointed on that committee from Gibson County, 
but failed to g-o. The commission, in accordance with a 
proclamation of Governor Jenning-s, met at the cabin of Wil- 
liam Conner on the west fork of White river. May 22, 1820. 



PIONEER HISTORY OF INDIANA. 405 

After canvassing man)' sites which were presented and rec- 
ommended to them b)' delegations of citizens from various 
towns who were at the meeting, owing to the location of 
many of these recommended sites being so near the southern 
border of the state, it was agreed to select a site as near as 
practicable in the center of the state. This had to be deter- 
mined by the surveys which had then been made and b}"^ the 
length and breadth of the territory which was then unsur- 
ve3'ed. After a heated controversy the site of Indianapolis was 
agreed upon, it having received the votes of a majority of two 
of all the commissioners present. At that time there was not a 
white famil)' located in that immediate neighborhood. Sur- 
veyors were put to work and laid out a new location for the 
capital. On the 9th of Januar3% 1821, the report of the com- 
mission was accepted and the capital of Indiana, then a dense 
woods, was located and named Indianapolis. Congress do- 
nated four sections of land for that purpose, on which the 
city was laid out and which now stands so proudly as a mon- 
ument to Hoosier progress and industry. 

The first sale of lots at Indianapolis was a spirited af- 
fair. Many of them sold for five hundred dollars and some 
that are now located in the most valuable portions of the city 
sold as low as thirty dollars. It was difficult to gather to- 
gether a sufficient number of bidders in that remote section 
to sell the lots at a verj- advantageous price. Ever3'body in- 
terested in the capital bought all they could pay for. As soon 
as it became known that the capital was to be at that point, 
there was a rush of settlers to that section and nearb}' 
country. Nearly all of them adopted the same tactics that 
all early settlers did, of purchasing forty acres of land out of 
a hundred and sixty acres which they located and intended to 
purchase as soon as they could in anj' way secure the means. 
This was true of all the country around Indianapolis for 
many miles and very soon speculators started out to select 
lands in the country around where the new capital was 
located. 

The first of these were, three or four from Louisville» 
Kentucky, who were acting as agents for large land syndi- 



406 PIONEER HISTORY OP INDIANA. 

cates in the east and were preparing to locate some land ten 
or fifteen miles to the south-east of Indianapolis. The}' were 
met by some of the squatters, who had bought small pieces of 
land, who told them there was much better land than they 
were preparing- to select nearer the capital. Accepting- this ad- 
vice and the g-uidance of these citizens, they started out to 
examine some lands, and while in a dense wilderness they 
were fired on by a concealed foe, several shots passing- very 
near their heads. This was evidently done by men who 
wished to drive them out of the country and it had the de- 
sired effect, they reporting- at Louisville that they had been 
fired on by Indians. 

The settlers in the country in the meantime were making 
every effort to secure the land they wanted, but for fear of 
trouble from the land sharks and of losing the land they 
wanted to purchase, some of which they had made improve- 
ments on, the)' determined to -form an organization for self 
protection and to that end they called a meeting of all the 
citizens in the surrounding country to assemble at a given 
point. They called themselves "Home Defenders." Every- 
thing that took place at this meeting was to be a profound 
secret. They resolved that these land sharks should be de- 
feated in their attempts to purchase the lands these farmers 
Tiad selected even if the)- had to kill them to accomplish their 
object. They selected three of their most resolute men to 
keep a lookout for the agents of these land syndicates. They 
organized a company of thirt)- men who were dressed in reg- 
ular Indian costumes and when needed they were to be 
painted and wear all the paraphernalia that the Indian wore 
to make them look as dangerous and hideous as possible. 
They had another company of twenty-five men who were 
dressed in the home spun wear of the pioneer, hunting 
shirts and coon-skin caps. Having their organization in 
readiness, they sent their spies out in various directions to 
watch for these dressed-up dandy agents, many of them 
wearing the stove-pipe hats of that period, whom they knew 
would come by the way of the White water country from 
Cincinnati or from Louisville over the beaten trace which 



PIONEER HISTORY OF INDIANA. 407 

had been made throujjh Jackson county that crossed the east 
fork of the White river not far from Columbus, Indiana. 
Having- a detachment of mounted men who were all the time 
in touch with tlieir spies who would notify all the organiza- 
tions at the earliest possible moment when they should lind 
out that any of the speculators were coming into that section, 
the main body of these i^eople returned to their homes. 
Everything went on very (juietly for some time, until finally one 
day several of the detachment left on duty came into the set- 
tlement and notified all the citi/cens to assemble at a point 
formerly selected, as the speculators w-ere coming. 

These speculators traveled in a body of from fifteen to 
twenty men. in order that they might be company for each 
other and that they might be better able to defend them- 
selves as each of them had on his person a pair of pistols or 
some weapon of defense. These men were coming b_v way of 
Wayne county, there beinjif a trace from Cincinnati through 
the White Water valley, up to that country. 

After the men who had organized to defend their homes 
had been in camp some time and had all their preparations 
made, one of their spies rode hurriedly up and told them that 
the land sharks were coming and would be in the 
neighborhood, where they had selected to receive them 
within two or three hours. Three men were sent back 
to meet the speculators proposing to act as g-uides for them 
and show them the best lands to select from. They were rid- 
ing leisurely along- looking- at lands, having a jolly, social 
time, when all at once they heard several shots fired not far 
away, and they saw a number of backwoodsmen, ridingf at 
breakneck speed across their front, stopping- every little 
while and firing back. These backwoodsmen apparently, 
were being pursued by some men who were yet in the dis- 
tance. They halted not far from the place where these 
speculators had stopped and leaving their horses in the hands 
of a few men to hold, they rushed back and selected places to 
defend themselves, seeming to be waiting for the coming ene- 
my whatever it was. In a few minutes a large body of In- 
dians came rushing over the brow of the hill screaming and 



408 PIONEER HISTORY OF INDIANA. 

whooping as Indians do. The white men fired several shots 
at them which seemed to stop the advance of the Indians. 
The pioneers went to the point where their horses were left 
and got onto them and rode in among the speculators and 
told them that thej^ had been assailed by a strong body of In- 
dians, two of their men had been killed and that they were 
not strong enough to hold their ground as the Indians out- 
numbered them two to one and appealed to the speculators to 
form and help them protect their homes. About this time 
the Indians were seen coming, whooping and firing as they 
came, the pioneers firing back at them, at the vSame time ap- 
pealing to these speculators to get in position and help them 
drive the Indians back. This was a little more than the 
speculators had bargained for. Ther turned and took their 
back trail at the best speed their horses had in them. They 
were followed by the pioneers who tried to prevail on them to 
— "Stop! Be men and help us defend our homes." The In- 
dians all the time, whooping and yelling and firing, many of 
the balls coming in close proximity to their heads. These 
agents lost all thought of honor and determined to take care 
of themselves only. The white soldiers kept up with them 
for some distance in their mad race, finally cursing them for 
a lot of cowardly, speculating villians. They halted their 
detachment and as the Indians came .up, they fought a sham 
battle of no mean proportion. The speculators made good 
their retreat and did not halt until they reached Cincinnati. 
It was said afterward that in the woods in eastern Marion 
and the western part of Hancock count}^ many "plug" hats 
were found which had been worn b}^ these gentr3^ The 
farmers returned to their homes and were never bothered 
again by speculators, purchasing their homes and living 
happily. 

"hoosier." 
It was in 1830 that the word "Hoosier" became known as- 
meaning Indiana people. In 1833 the New Year's address,, 
published by the Indianapolis Journal, contained a poem 
written by John Pinley, of Richmond, Indiana. The poem 
was entitled, "The Hoosier's Nest." The word "Hoosier"" 



PIONEER HISTORY OF INDIANA. 409 

evidently was intended to conve)' the meaning- of an uncouth, 
crude, uncultivated people who lived in Indiana, and the 
"stjjart set" of other parts of the United States had tried to 
construe the word to express odium on our people. When 
taking- into consideration the advanced steps taken by our 
state in educational matters, these attempts have been as a 
boomerang- and only reflect upon those ignorant enough to 
attempt to cast the odium. There is no Indianian today of 
an)' note who does not accept the term "Hoosier" and is 
proud of the name. In the early days men who went from 
Indiana to California, when in answer to the question, 
"Where are you from?" said "Indiana," the reply would be, 
"A Hoosier from Posey County, Hooppole Township." Much 
of such slang was originated by the Pittsburg coal boatmen. 
"Hooppole Township" came to be used in this wa}-: In the 
early boating days of this country, Mt. Vernon was a head 
centre for the gathering of flatboat crews. At one time a 
large coal fleet had landed at that point from Pittsburg and 
a number of the boatmen had g-one up into the town and 
filled up on fighting whisky. They soon raised a disturbance 
and started in to clean out the town. At that time there were 
some large cooper shops in the lower edge of the village next 
the river and some twenty-five or thirt}- coopers were working- 
there. As the boatmen and citizens were having- the battle, 
these coopers, with a stout hooppole, went to the relief of the 
ofiicers who were trying to quell the disturbance, and with 
these formidable weapons g-ave the Pittsburg boatmen a 
chastising which they remembered for all time afterward. 
Hence the name of "Hooppole Township, Pose}' County." 

In 1821 there were several counties org-anized: 

Bartholomew Count)\ containing 405 square miles. 

Decatur Count}', containing 380 square miles. 

Green County, containing 540 square miles. 

Henry County, containing 385 sciuare miles. 

Marion County, containing 400 square miles. 

Park County, containing 440 square miles. 

Putnam County, containing 486 square miles. 

Rush County, containing 414 square miles. 



410 PIONEER HISTORY OF INDIANA. 

Shelby. County, containing- 408 square miles. 
Union County, containing- 168 square miles. 

In 1822 the following- counties were org-anized: 
Johnson County, containing: 320 square miles. 
Montg-omery County, containing- 504 square miles. 

In 1823 the following- counties were org-anized: 
Hamilton County, containing- 400 square miles. 
Hendricks County, containing- 380 square miles. 
Madison County, containing- 390 square miles, 
Vermilion County, containing- 280 square miles. 

In 1824 the following- county was formed: 
Allen County, containing- 672 square miles. 

In 1825 the following counties were formed: 
Clay County, containing- 360 square miles. 
Fountain County, containing- 390 square miles. 

In 1826, Tippecanoe County, containing- 504 square miles. 

In 1820 the population was 147,178. The increase for the 
next three and a half years was very lig-ht, as that embraced 
one of the hardest financial periods in the state's early history. 

The administration of Governor Hendricks was a wise 
and careful one. No man was more respected and none more 
worthy of it. He was ever on the lookout for the interests of 
his state and its people. 

From 1816 to 1821 the Leg-islature was org-anized with 
ten Senators and twenty-nine Representatives. By ap- 
portionment law made by the Leg-islature at Corydon in 
1821, the Senate was increased to sixteen members and the 
House to fort3--three members. The men composing- the 
General Assembl}^ were not always men of profound learn- 
ing, but in most cases were the best men of the section in 
which they lived. At that time politics had not invaded this 
country in any serious degree and the difference between the 
men was usually local. These lawmakers had to face the 
dishonest actions of men who had been entrusted with the 
banking interests of the state and the unfavorable condition 
brought about b}' the paralyzing situations that our manu- 



PIONEER HISTORY OF INDIANA. 411 

facturinjj' interests were in and the consetjuent hard times, the 
want of a market put ujjon our ])eople. 

Portions of the new countr}- had settled up previous to 
these hard times ver}- fast, and in that day what was termed 
a neig^hborhood was a cluster of families over several (|uarter 
sections of land, and most likel}' there was a wilderness of six 
to eifjfht miles between them and the next neig'hborhood. 
Around the most important towns they were much closer to- 
g-ether. These pioneers were very short of money, but they 
had their jjfuns and were g-ood marksmen. The country at 
that time was at peace with the Indians. The greater por- 
tion of all of them had moved to the west and northwest to 
better hunting grounds, where there were no white people. 

In Madison Count}' in 1824 there were two or three fami- 
lies of friendl}' Indians who had located a camp on Fall creek 
and were hunting in the surrounding country. These Indians 
had a large amount of valuable furs. This becoming known 
to some parties, it aroused their cupidity and the}* resolved to 
kill the Indians in order that they might secure the booty. 
The history of this murder and the trials which followed are 
so well told b}' the Honorable Oliver H. Smith in his "Early 
Indian Sketches," that it is thought best to here produce 
it — also a letter from Mr. Smith to the author in 185() in rela- 
tion to this matter. The letter speaks for itself: 

Indianapolis, Ind., 

February 10, 185<). 
Mr. Wm. M. Cockkum, 

Oakland, Gibson Count}', Indiana — 

My Dear Young Friend: Your letter of recent 
date is before me. Certainly I recollect you. You 
drove me too many times over tht? hills and bad 
roads of Gibson and Pike Counties for me to forg-et 
you so soon. Your good mother I shall always re- 
member for tlie kind and thoughtful attention she 
showed for my comfort during the many weeks I 
was at your father's home. 

Let me say, you are very young yet. The first 
dawn of manhood is just opening to you. It is 
reasonable to conclude that you will grow old. If 
you do, you will then realize that the best friend 



412 PIONEER HISTORY OF INDIANA. 

that God g-ave )'ou was 3'our mother. There could 
be no misfortune or sorrow, disgrace or evil, come 
to YOU but your mother would stand by you. 
Others may leave, but a mother's love endureth 
be)'ond the grave. 

Your request for the trial of the men for kill- 
ing- the Indians and their execution and the story 
of Doderidge being treed by his own dogs for a 
panther, which I told you, I would have copied 
from my MS., but I can do better than that; 
I will publish a book, "Early Indiana Sketches," 
during the next year and will send you a cop3^; you 
then may use the two articles and as many others 
as you care to, if you conclude to put your data 
into book form. Just such hunting stories as your 
father tells so well is the sort of material that the 
young people will read. In writing a book, the 
author must write for the 3^oung to read. They 
soon will grow old and still other 3'oung people 
take their places. 

I hope that 3'ou msLj, in the near future, visit 
us, and come on the Evansville, Indianapolis and 
Cleveland Straight-Line Railroad.* 

Very truly 3^ours, 

Oliver H. Smith. 

Following is a history of the trial and execution of sev- 
eral white men for the murder of Indians in Madison Count3^ 
in 1824, the onl3' case of the sort in the State or Territor3' of 
Indiana; related b3" the Honorable Oliver H. Smith. 

At the time of the Indian murders of Fall Creek, the 
countr3" was new and the population scattered here and there 
in the woods. The game was plenty and the Indian hunting 
grounds had been forsaken b3^ man3'^ of the tribes. The white 
settlej-s felt some alarm at the news of an Indian encamp- 
ment in the neighborhood and although they were all friend- 
I3' a watchful eye was kept on all their movements. The 
county of Madison had been organized but a short time be- 
fore. Pendleton, with a few houses at the falls was the seat 



*Author's Note.— Mr. Smith at that time was the President of the 
Evansville, Indianapolis and Cleveland Straight-Line R. R. (now Evansville 
& Indianapolis R. R.) 



PIONEER HISTORY OF INDIANA. 413 

of the new county. Anderson on White river was a small 
villag-e; Chesterfield and Huntsfield were not heard of. 
There were only a few houses between Indianapolis and 
the falls and still fewer in other directions from the capital. 

Earl}- in the spring- of 1824 a hunting- party of Seneca 
Indians, consisting of two men, three squaws and four child- 
ren, encamped on the east side of Fall Creek about eight 
miles abov^e the falls. The country around their camping- 
ground was a dense, unbroken forest filled with game. The 
principal Indian was called Ludlow, and was said to be named 
for Stephen Ludlow, of Lawrenceburg. The other man I call 
Mingo. The Indians commenced their season's hunting and 
trapping — the men with their guns and the squaws setting 
the traps, preparing- and cooking the game and caring for 
the children, two boys some ten years old, and two girls of 
more tender jears. A week had rolled around and the suc- 
cess of the Indians had been very fair with better prospects 
ahead as spring was opening- and raccoons were beginning to 
leave their holes in the trees in search of frogs that had 
begun to leave their mudd)' beds at the bottom of the creeks. 

The trapping season was only just commencing. Ludlow 
and his band wholly unsuspicious of harm and unconscious 
of any approaching enemies, were seated around their camp 
fire, when there approached through the woods five white men 
— Harper, Sawyer, Hudson, Bridge Sr., and Bridge Jr. Harper 
was the leader and stepping up to Ludlow, took him b}- the 
hand and told him his party had lost their horses and wanted 
Ludlow and Mingo to help find them. The Indians agreed 
to go in search of the horses. Ludlow took one path and 
Mingo the other. Harper followed Ludlow; Hudson trailed 
Mingo, keeping some fifty 3'ards behind. They traveled 
some short distance from the camp when Harper shot Ludlow 
through the body. He fell dead on his face. Hudson, on 
hearing the crack of the rifle of Harper, immediately shot 
Mingo, the ball entering just below his shoulders and pass- 
ing clear through his body. Mingo fell dead. The party 
then met and proceeded to within gunshot of the camp. 
Sawyer shot one of the squaws through the head. She fell 



414 PIONEER HISTORY OF INDIANA. 

and died without a strug-gle. Bridge Sr. shot another squaw 
and Bridge Jr. the other one. Both fell dead. Sawyer then 
fired at the eldest boy, but only wounded him. The other 
children were shot by some of the party. Harper then led 
on to the camp. 

The three squaws, one boy and the two little girls lay 
dead but the oldest boy was still living. Sawyer took him 
and knocked his brains out against the end of a log. The 
camp was then robbed of everything worth carrying away. 
Harper, the ringleader, left immediately for Ohio and was 
never taken. Hudson, Bridge Sr., Bridge Jr., and Sawyer 
were arrested and when I first saw them they were confined 
in a square log jail built of heavy beech and sugar-tree logs, 
notched down closely and fitting tight above and below on 
the sides. I entered with the sheriff. The prisoners were all 
heavily ironed and sitting on the straw on the floor. Hudson 
was a man of about middle size, with a bad Idok, dark eyes 
and bushy hair, about thirty-five years of age in appearance. 
Sawyer was of about the same age, rather heavier than Hud- 
son but there was nothing in his appearance that could have 
marked him in a crowd as anything more than a common far- 
mer. Bridge, Sr. was much older than Sawyer, his head was 
quite grey, he was about the common height, slender and a 
little bent while standing. Bridge, Jr. was some eighteen 
years of age, a tall stripling. Bridge, Sr. was the father of 
Bridge, Jr. and the brother-in-law of Sawyer. 

The news of these Indian murderers flew upon the wings 
of the wind. The settlers became greatly alarmed, fearing 
the retaliatory vengeance of the tribes and especially of the 
the other bands of the Senecas. The facts reached Mr. John 
Johnston at the Indian Agency at Piqua, Ohio. An account 
of the murders was sent from the agency to the war depart- 
ment at "Washington City. Colonel Johnston and William 
Conner visited all the Indian tribes and assured them that 
the government would punish the offenders and obtaining the 
promises of the chiefs and warriors that they would wait and 
see what their '"Great Father" would do before they took the 
matter into their own hands. This quieted the fears of the 



PIONEER HISTORY OF INDIANA. 415 

settlers and preparation was commenced for the trials. A 
new log- building- was erected at the north part of Pendleton 
with two strong- rooms, one for the court and one for the 
g-rand jury. The court room was about twenty by thirty feet 
with a heavy "puncheon" floor, a platform at one end three 
feet hig-h, with a strong- railing- in front, a bench for the 
judges, a plain table for the clerk, in front on the floor a long 
bench for the counsel, a little pen for the ]>risoners, a side 
bench for the witnesses and a long- pole in front, sub- 
stantially supported to separate the crowd from the court and 
bar. A guard by day and night was placed around the jail. 
The court was composed of \Vm. W. Wick, presiding judge, 
Samuel Hollidav and Adam Winchell associates. Judge Wick 
was young- on the bench but with nuich experience in crim- 
inal trials. Judg-e Holliday was one of the best and most 
conscientious men I ever knew\ Judge Winchell was a blacks 
smith, and had ironed the prisoners. He was an honest, 
frank, rough illiterate man, without an}- pretensions of legal 
knowledg-e. Moses Cox was the clerk. He could t)arely write 
his name and when a candidate for justice of the peace at 
Connersville, he boasted of his superior qualitications, sayingf: 
"I have been sued on every section of the statute and know 
all about the law, while my competitor has never been sued 
and knows nothing- about the statute." Samuel Cory was a 
tine specimen of a woods' Hoosier. tall and strong--boned, 
with a hearty laug-h. without fear of man and beast, with a 
voice that made the woods ring- when he called the jurors and 
witnesses. The county was then prei)ared for the trials. 

In the meantime the g-overnment was not sleeping-. 
Colonel Johnston, the Indian ag-ent. was directed to attend 
the trials to see that the witnesses were i^resent and to pay 
their fees, (ieneral James Noble, then a United States Sen- 
ator, was employed by the Secretary of War to prosecute, 
with power to fee an assistant.- Philij) Sweetzer, a youngf 
son-in-law of the General, of higfh promise in his i)rofession, 
was selected by the (General as his assistant. Calvin Fletcher 
was the regular prosecuting attorney, then a young- man of 
more than ordinary ability and a good criminal lawyer. The 



416 PIONEER HISTORY OF INDIANA. 

only inn in Pendleton was a new frame house near the creek, 
still standing- by the side of the railroad bridge. 

The term of the court was about being- held. The Sun- 
day before the term commenced, the lawyers began to arrive 
and, as the custom was in those days, they were invited out 
to dine on the Sabbath by the most wealthy citizens as a 
favor and compliment, not to the lawyers but to their hosts. 
We had a statute in those days imposing- a fine of one dollar 
on each person who should "profanely curse, swear or damn," 
and making it the duty of all judges and magistrates to see 
that the law was enforced upon offenders in their presence. 
Judge Holliday invited Calvin Fletcher, the circuit prosecut- 
ing attorney, and his Indianapolis friend, Daniel B. Wick, 
the brother of the Judge, to dine with him. The invitation 
was accepted, of course, there being no previous engagement 
in the way. Dinner was announced; Judge Holliday asked a 
"blessing" at the table— Mr. Fletcher declining. The Judge 
had killed a fat goose for the extraordinary occasion, which 
was nicely stuffed with well-seasoned bread and onions and 
placed in the center of the table. Mr. Wick, w^ho was not a 
church member, fixed his eye an the goose and said, by way 
of compliment, "That's a damned fine goose. Judge." "Yes, 
it is a fine goose, and 3'ou are fined one dollar for swearing." 
Not a word more was spoken at the table. Dinner over, 
Judge Holliday said, "Squire Wick, pay me the dollar." "I 
have not a cent with me. Judge." "Perhaps Mr. Fletcher 
will lend it to you." Mr. Fletcher: "I really have with me 
only sufficient to pay m}- tavern bill." Judge Hollida}^: 
"What is to be done?" Fletcher: "Lend him the money. 
Judge, take his note or bind him over to the court." "I'll 
bind him over; you'll go his security?" "The rules of the 
court forbid lawyers to go security for an3"one, but you can 
go it yourself; just draw the recognizance, 'Daniel B. Wick 
and Samuel Holliday appear before Samuel Hollida)', associ- 
ate judge of the Madison circuit court, and acknowledge 
themselves to be indebted to the state in the penalt}' of 
twenty-five dollars each for the appearance of Daniel B. 
Wick at the next term of court to answer." The reasonable 



PIONEER HISTORY OF INDIANA. 417 

proposition of Mr. Fletcher was at once accepted by all par- 
ties. The recog-nixance was taken in due form and forfeited 
at the next term of court b}- the absence of Mr. Wick. Judg- 
ment was rendered against Judge Holliday for twenty-five 
dollars. A petition to the Governor was drawn and signed, 
b}' the whole bar; a remittance soon followed. 

The trial of Hudson commenced the next day after the 
Sabbath dinner at Judge Holliday's. A number of distin- 
g-uished lawyers were in attendance from this state and sev- 
eral from the State of Ohio. Among the most prominent I 
name General James Noble, Philip Sweetzer, Harvey Gregg, 
Lot Bloomfield, James Rariden, Charles H. Test, Calvin 
Fletcher, Daniel B. Wick and William R. Morris, of this 
state; General Sampson Mason and Moses Vance, of Ohio. 
Judg-e Wick being temporaril}^ absent in the morning, Wil- 
liam R. Morris arose and moved the associate judges: "I ask 
that these gentlemen be admitted as attorneys and counselors 
at this bar; the}' are regular practitioners, but have not 
brought their licenses with them." Judge Winchell: "Have 
they come down here to defend the prisoners?" ''Most of 
them have." "Let them be sworn — nobody but a lawyer 
would defend a murderer." 

Mr. Morris: "I move the Court for a writ of habeas cor- 
pus to bring up the prisoners now illegally confined in jail." 
Judge Winchell: "For what?" "A writ of habeas corpus." 
"What do you want to do with it?" "To bring up the pris- 
oners and have them discharg-ed." "Is there any law for 
that?" Morris read the statute regulating the writ of 
habeas corpus. "That act, Mr. Morris, has been repealed 
long ago." "Your honor is mistaken; it is a constitutional 
writ as long as Magna Charta itself." "Well, Mr. Morris, to 
cut this matter short, it would do you no good to bring out 
the prisoners; I ironed them myself, and you will never g-et 
them irons off until they have been tried, habeas corpus or 
no habeas corpus." Per curia, "Motion over-ruled." Judge 
Wick entered and took his seat between the two side judges. 
"Call the grand jury." All answer to their names and are 
sworn. Court adjourned for dinner. Court met; the grand 



418 PIONEER HISTORY OF INDIANA. 

jur_v brouj^ht into court an indictment for murder drawn b)-^ 
Fletcher against Hudson. Counsel on both sides: "Bring- 
the prisoner into court." The Court: "Sheriff, put in the 
box a jur}','" Sheriff: "May it please the Court, Dr. Highday 
just handed me a list of jurors to call on the jur3\" Judge 
Wick: "Bring Dr. Highda}' into court." "Did your honor wish 
to see me?" "Dr. Highday, is this j'our handwriting?" "I 
prestime it is." "Dr. Highday. we have no jail to put you 
in; the one we have is full; hear your sentence: It is the 
judgment of the court that you be banished from these court 
grounds till the trials are over. Sheriff, see the judgment of 
the court is carried strictly into execution." 

I digress to give here the scene in court, published hy 
General Sampson Mason in a Springfield, Ohio, paper: "As 
I entered the court-room, the judge was sitting on a block, 
paring his toe-nails, when the sheriff entered, out of breath, 
and informed the court that he had six jurors tied and his 
deputies were running down the others." General Mason, with 
all his candor, uuquestionabl}- drew upon his imagination in 
that instance. 

Hudson, the prisoner, was brought into the court by the 
deputy sheriff and two of the guard. His appearance had 
greatly changed since I tirst saw him in the long pen with 
his comrades in crime. He was now pale, haggard and 
downcast, and with a faltering voice answered, upon his ar- 
raignment, "Not guilty." The petit jury were hardy, honest 
pioneers, wearing moccasins and side knives. The evidence 
occupied but a single da}- and was positive, closing ever}^ 
door of hope to the prisoner. The prosecuting attorney read 
the statute, creating and affixing the punishment to the 
homicide and plainly stated the substance of the evidence. 
He was followed for the prisoner in an able, eloquent and 
powerful speech, appealing to the prejudice of the jur}^ 
against the Indians; relating in glowing colors the earl}" 
massacres of white men, women and children by the Indians; 
reading the principal incidents in the history of Daniel 
Boone and Simon Kenton; relating their cruelties at the bat- 
tle of Blue Lick and Bryant's Station, and not forgetting the 



PIONEER HISTORY OF INDIANA. 419 

defeat of Braddock, St. Clair and Harmar. General James 
Noble closed the aryfument for the state in one of his forcible 
speeches, holdin^f up to the jury the bloody clothing- of the 
Indians and appealing: to the justice, patriotism and love of 
the law of the jury. nt)t forjifettin^ that the safety of the set- 
tlers mitrht (lei)end ujjon the conviction of the prisoners, as. 
the chiefs and warriors expected justice to be done. The 
speech of the (General had a marked effect ui>on the crowd, as 
well as the jury. Judyfe Wick charyfed the jury at some 
lenjjth. laying: down the laws of homicide in its different de- 
j^rees and distinctly impressinjjf upon the jury that the law' 
knew no distinction as to nation or color; that the murder of 
an Indian was equally criminal in law as the murder of a 
white man. The jury retired and next morninjjf brouj^^ht into 
court a verdict of "Guilty of murder in the first degree." The 
motion for a new trial was over-ruled, the prisoner was 
brought into court and sentence of death pronounced in the 
most solemn manner by Judge Wick. The time for ihe exe- 
cution was fixed, as is usual, for a distant day In the mean- 
time Hudson made his escape from the guardhouse one dark 
night and hid himself in a hollow^ log in the woods, where he 
was found and arrested. 

Time rolled on and the fatal day for execution arrived. 
Muhiiudes of i)eople were there. Among them were several 
Senecas, relatives of the murdered Indians. The gallows 
was erected just above the falls on the nortli side. The peo- 
ple covered the surrounding hills, and at the ai)pointed hour, 
Hudson, by the forfeiture of his life, made the last earthly 
atonement for his crimes. Such was the result of the tirst 
case on record in America where a while man was hung for 
killing an Indian. The other cases were continued uniil the 
next term of court. 

TKIAL OK SAWVKK. 

Monday morning came. Court met. Judge Eggleston, 
in tine health, on the bench in the center; Adam Winchell on 
his left and Samuel Holliday on his right; Moses Cox at the 
clerk's (Wsk; Samuel Cory on the sheriff's i)latf()rm, and 
Colonel John Berry, captain of- the guard, leaning against the 



420 PIONEER HISTORY OF INDIANA. 

logs. The grand jur}- was called, sworn and charged and 
court adjourned for dinner. In the afternoon the evidence of 
the main witnesses were heard. I had prepared the indict- 
ments in m}^ office and had them with me. The foreman 
signed the bills on his knee and they all returned into court 
before the adjournment. That night Col. John Johnston, 
the Indian agent, called at my room and offered me one hun- 
dred dollars on behalf of the United States. I informed him 
that I was a state officer and could not accept the money, 
however tempting it might be under other circumstances. 

The court met in the morning. We agreed to try Saw- 
3-er first for shooting one of the squaws. The prisoner was 
brought into court by the sheriff. He appeared so haggard 
and changed from his long conlinemant that I scarcel}' knew 
him. The court-room was crowded. General James Noble, 
Philip Sweetzer and myself for the state; James Rariden; Lot 
Bloomfield, William R. Morris and Charles H. Test for the 
prisoner. Judge Eggleston: "Sheriff, call the petit jur}'." 
Judge Winchell: ''Sheriff, call Squire Makepiece on the 
jury; he will be a good juror; he will not let one of these 
murderers get away."' Judge Eggleston, turning to Judge 
Winchell: "This will never do. WliatI the couit pack a jurj^ 
to try a capital case?" The jury was soon impaneled. The 
evidence was conclusive that the prisoner had shot one of the 
squaws at the camp with his rifle, after the killing of Ludlow 
and Mingo b}' Harper and Hudson in the woods. The jur}' 
were a hardy, heavy-bearded set of men with side knives in 
their belts and not a pair of shoes among all of them; 
the}' wore moccasins. Mr. Sweetzer opened for the state 
with a strong, matter-of-fact speech, which was his forte. 
He was followed in able speeches by Mr. Morris, Mr. Test 
and Mr. Rariden for the prisoner. General Noble closed for 
the prosecution in a powerful speech. The General was one 
of the strongest and most effective speakers before a jury or 
promiscuous assembly I have ever heard. The case went to 
the jur}' under an able charge from Judge Eggleston and 
court adjourned for dinner. 

At the meeting of the court in the afternoon, the jury 



PIONEER HISTORY OF INDIANA. 421 

returned the verdict of "Guilty of manslau^'-hter — two years 
at hard labor in the penitentiary." Mr. Rariden sprang- to 
his feet: ''If the court please, we let judg-ment go on the 
verdict and are ready for the case of Sawyer for killing- the 
Indian bo}' at the camp." "Ready for the state." The same 
jury were accepted by both sides — being- in the box. They 
were immediately sworn. The evidence was heard, again 
conclusive against the prisoner. General Noble opened for 
the prosecution, and was followed by Charles H. Test, Wil- 
liam R. Morris and James Rariden with powerful speeches. 
The jury were referred to their verdict in the previous case 
and their judgments were warmly eulogized. This was, by 
arrangement, *my case to close. I saw my position, and the 
only point which I had to meet was to draw the distinction 
between the two cases, so as to justif}- the jury for finding a 
verdict for manslaughter in one case and of murder in the 
case before them. In law there was no difference whatever. 
They were both cold-blooded murders. The calico shirt of 
the murdered boy, stained with blood, lay upon the table. I 
was closing a speech of an hour. Stepping forward I took up 
the bloody shirt and holding- it to the jury: "Yes, gentle- 
men of the jur}', the case is very different. You find the 
prisoner guilty of only manslaughter in using- his rifle on a 
grown squaw — that was the act of a man; this was the act of 
a demon. Look at this shirt, gentlemen, with the bloody 
stains upon it. This was a poor helpless bo}', who was taken 
by the heels b}' this fiend in human shape and his brains 
knocked out against a log! If the other case was man- 
slaughter, is not this murder?" The eyes of the jur}' were 
filled with tears. Judge Eggleston gave a clear and able 
charge upon the law. The jury, after an absence of only a 
few minutes, returned a verdict of "Murder in the first de- 
gree." The prisoner was remanded and the court adjourned. 

TRIAL OF BRIDGE — SCENES AT THE EXECUTION. 

The next morning the case of Bridge, Sr., for shooting a 
little Indian girl at the camp, was called. The prisoner en- 
tered with the sheriff. He was more firm in his step and 



422 PIONEER HISTORY OF INDIANA. 

looked better than Sawyer, though a much older man. 
A jur}^ was impaneled. The proof was positive. The case 
was arg-ued by Mr. Morris and Mr. Rariden for the prisoner, 
and Mr. Sweetzer and myself for the state. The charge was 
given by Judge Eggleston, and after a few minutes' absence, 
the jury returned the verdict of "Murder in the lirst de- 
gree." The only remaining case — of the stripling. Bridge, 
Jr., for the murder of the other Indian boy at the camp — 
came on next. The trial was more brief, but the result was the 
same — verdict of murder in the first degree - with a recom- 
mendation, however, to the Governor for a pardon, in conse- 
quence of his youth, in which the court and bar joined. Pro 
forma, motions for new trials were over-ruled, the prisoners 
remanded to be brought up for sentence next morning, and 
the court adjourned. 

Morning came and with it a crowded court-house. As I 
walked from the tavern, I saw the guard approaching with 
Sawyer, Bridge, Senior, and Bridge, Junior, with downcast 
eyes and tottering steps in their midst. The prisoners en- 
tered the court-room and were seated. The sheriff com- 
manded silence. The prisoners arose, the tears streaming 
down their faces and their groans and sighs filling the court- 
room. I fixed my eyes on Judge Eggleston. I heard him 
pronounce sentence of death on Fuller for the murder of War- 
ren, and upon Fields for the murder of Murphy. But here 
was a still more solemn scene: An aged father, his favorite 
son and his wife's brother — all standing before him to receive 
the sentence of death. The face of the judge was pale, his 
lips quivered, his tongue faltered, as he addressed the prison- 
ers. The sentence of death by hanging was pronounced, but 
the usual conclusion, "and may God have mere}- on 30ur 
souls," was left struggling for utterance. 

The time for the execution was fixed at a distant day, 
but it soon rolled around. The gallows was erected on the 
north bank of Fall Creek; just above the falls at the foot of 
the rising grounds one ma)' see from the cars. The 
hour for the execution had come. Thousands surround- 
ed the gallows. A Seneca chief, with his warriors, 



PIONEER HISTORY OF INDIANA. 423 

^was posted near the brow of the hill. Sawyer and Bridyfe, 
Senior, ascended the scaffold tojjether, were executed in 
quick succession and died without a struyfjifle. The vast au- 
dience was in tears. The exclamation of the Senecas was in- 
terpreted, "We are satisfied." An hour exi)ired. The bodies 
-were taken down and laid in their coffins, when there was seen 
ascending- the scaffold. Bridge. Junior, the last of the con- 
victs. His step was feeble, retiuiring the aid of the sheriff; 
the rope was adjusted; he threw his eyes around upon the 
audience and then down upon the coffin where lay exposed the 
bodies of his father and uncle. From that moment his wild 
gaze showed too clearly that the scene had been too much for 
his youthful mind. Reason partially left her throne and he 
stood looking at the crowd, apparently unconscious of his po- 
sition. The last minute had come, when James Brown Ray, 
Governor of the state, announced to the immense crowd that 
the convict was pardoned. Never before did an audience 
more heartily respond, while there was a universal regret 
that the executive authority had been deferred until the last 
moment. Thus ended the only trials where convictions of 
murder were followed b)^ the execution of white men for kill- 
ing Indians, in the United States up to that period. 

The following story is also from Mr. Smith's "Earlv 
Sketches": 

Many years ag^o while our frontier counties were a 
nvilderness, the settlers lived far apart. It had been whis- 
pered about in private circles that some bo3's had seen a 
panther looking out of a hole in a black walnut tree. The 
story was doubted by many, still it was sufficienth' alarming- 
to induce settlers to prepare themselves with rifles and larg-e 
packs of hounds. Among the settlers there was a man, for 
the sake of a name I call Doderidge Alley, a neighborhood 
leader. He had often been elected captain of one side at 
log-rollings and corn-shuckings. Doderidge had one of the 
severest packs of hounds in the settlement, of which he often 
boasted, especially of "Old Ring." The county in which 
Doderidge resided was entitled to a Representative in the State 
Legislature. A number of candidates brought themselves 



424 PIONEER HISTORY OF INDIANA. 

out, Doderidge among them. There were no caucuses nor 
conventions in that day; ever)- one ran upon his own hook and 
mounted his own hobby. Doderidge believed strongly in love 
at first sight and in early marriages. He selected the idea of 
authorizing constables in their several townships to solemn- 
ize marriages, so as to tie the hymeneal knot before the first 
love could have time to cool while they were sending to town 
for a preacher. Doderidge had, no doubt, seen the first verse 
of "Love at First Sight," but had not read the last. 

The contest was very close, but Doderidge triumphed. 
The session of the Legislature was approaching— a new suit 
of clothes would be needed; the yarn was spun, the cloth 
woven and colored with butternut bark, a kind of yellowish 
brown. The neighboring tailor had cut and made the suit^ 
coat, vest and pantaloons; they hung in folds upon him, but 
still he looked pretty well and felt right comfortable, as his 
blood had free circulation. All things were ready for his de- 
parture for the capital; business required him to go to one of 
the upper settlements. He dressed up in his fine butternut 
suit for the first time, promising to be back for supper. Time 
passed on and no Doderidge. His lady became uneasy; the 
story of the panther came fresh in her mind; the clock struck 
ten, still no Doderidge. The dogs had not been seen for an 
hour before dark. Hark! the sound of hounds is heard in the 
distant forest. A panther, no doubt. Night wore away, 
morning dawned, no Doderidge. The lad}^ left her cabin and 
directed her course through the woods by the distant ba)'ing. 
The spot was reached at last. There, perched upon a lean- 
ing tree, some fifty feet up, sat Doderidge in his butternut 
suit, the very image of a panther, old Ring tearing the bark 
from the root of the tree and the rest of the pack baying at 
the top of their lungs. A word from the voice of their well- 
known mistress was enough; Doderidge came down, old Ring 
took the lead for home and away went the whole pack, leav- 
ing Doderidge and his rescuer to walk home together, deadly 
enemies to butternut bark while there were panthers in the 
woods. 

Weeks afterward, Doderidge arises in the Legislature: 



PIONEER HISTORY OF INDIANA. 425 

"Mr. Speaker, I hold in tti}' hand a bill to authorize con- 
stables to solemnize marriages; it is laid oif into sections of 
four lines." A member I call Hug-h Barnes, with a powerful 
sing-song- voice: "I am opposed, Mr. Speaker, to that bill. 
Marriage is a solemn thing; it ought never to be entered into 
without the greatest deliberation and the maturest reflection. 
Why all this haste to tie the knot? Constables ought to have 
nothing to do with it except when they get married them- 
selves." As the speaker progressed, he became more and 
more animated; his voice rose to the highest tones, not unlike 
Old Hundred. As he closed, all eyes were upon Doderidge; 
the speech sounded very much like the funeral services of the 
bill and Doderidge looked like chief mourner. Doderidge 
sprang to his feet as quick as thought: "Mr. Speaker, would 
it be in order now to sing a hymn?" The Speaker hesitated, 
the house roared, the triumph of Doderidge was complete, 
the session closed, the bill was left for the next Legislature. 
Doderidge returned home, the hounds were disposed of, and 
there was never an ounce of butternut bark used for dyeing 
purposes in the famil}- of Doderidge afterward. 

In 1822 Governor Hendricks, in a message to the Legis- 
lature, recommended that as fast as the state was able, it 
should make many improvements that were much needed. He 
named improvements for the falls of the Ohio, also the 
Wabash and White rivers, making them navigable for keel 
and flatboats; also the construction of the national road 
through the state. 

These recommendations were among the first which were 
afterward carried out, of the great system of internal im- 
provements engaged in by our state. The most expensive of 
all of these was the construction of the Wabash and Erie 
canal. The act of Congress granting land for its construc- 
tion was passed in 1827. It was more than twenty years after 
this before it was completed. An account of this work will 
be given in another chapter. 

At an election of 1825 James B. Ray was elected Gov- 
ernor. At this time the revenue of the state to pay its ex- 
penses was a little over thirty-six thousand dollars, and this 



42r. PIONEER HISTORY OF INDIANA. 

was the averag-e amount received for that purpose until about 
1830. In 1825 the state g-overnment was moved from Cor}- 
don to Indianapolis, a distance of about one hundred and 
twenty-five miles. 

In 1826 there was a treat)^ held with the Pottawattamie 
Indians. The commissioners in this case were Governor Ra)% 
General John Tipton and Governor Cass. At that treaty a 
strip of land ten miles wide on the north line of the state, 
also a small tract between the Wabash and Eel rivers, was 
purchased. 

From 1826 the prices of land and produce improved and 
continued to improve for the next six or seven years. Confi- 
dence was restored in the business circles and everything- 
g-radually kept on improving. There was a larg-e increase in 
the population during the 3ears 1825 and 1826. At the close 
of 1826 there were 250,000 people in Indiana; this from 1800, 
when there were 5,000 persons in the state, was a g^ain of 
.245,000. 

In the year 1825 Governor Ray in his messag-e to the Legis- 
lature urged upon them the necessit}^ of adopting a S3'steni of 
internal improvements, such as building canals, railroads and 
plank roads. The policy that he urg-ed was not attempted to 
be carried out until ten years later. 



CHAPTER XVII, 



ANIMALS OF EARLY INDIANA. 



(iAMP: Animals — Game Birds — Fekocious Animals — Fur- 
Bearing Animals — Birds of Prey. 



BUFFALO. 

The buifaloes varied in height from five to five and one- 
half feet. They differed from our domestic cattle in being- 
longer of limb and shorter bodied and in having a large hvnni> 
on the back. The males had a long mane and much longer 
hair on their heads, backs and shoulders. Their bodies were 
the largest just back of their fore legs and gradually tapered 
back and diminished in height. They had a long neck; head 
and eyes small. Their build denoted speed and their general 
ai)i)earance was fierce and dangerous. They had a ver}' 
acute sense of smell and could scent danger a long way off. 
These animals migrated from south to north in the summer 
season, and from north to south in the winter season, across the 
great western plains that nature had provided with buffalo 
grass for them. Many small herds did not migrate and remained 
in the same sections winter and summer; even as far north as 
North Dakota this was true. Whether there was a difference 
or what caused small isolated herds to remain in the same 
section all the time, is not known. 

On the great western plains, from Texas to the Dakotas, 
until only a few years ago, the buffaloes were in such count- 
less numbers that they had to spread over an immense terri- 
tory to find food for their sustenance. The males and fe- 



428 PIONEER HISTORY OF INDIANA. 

males herded separately, except in the coupling- season, 
which was in June and July. The males at this time con- 
tended for the mastery. Hundreds of them would engage in 
fighting at the same time. The roar from these conflicts 
was deep, loud and most terrible, and in many cases they 
gored each other to death with their strong, sharp horns. 
The cows brought forth in March and April. They were 
very much attached to their calves, and to protect them from 
the many animals that were always prowling around for an 
opportunity to catch a laggard calf, the cows at night would 
form a circle, the cows lying down with their horns outward, 
the calves on the inside of the circle. The usual weight of 
these animals was from ten to fourteen hundred pounds. Some- 
times, as in our domestic cattle, there would be some which 
would weigh two thousand pounds. A buffalo cow in the 
northwest has been known to defeat and kill a grizzly bear 
with her horns, in defending her young calf. The flesh was 
better, if possible, than the best stall fed beef. It may be 
owing to fhe food they ate, which was fresh young grass of 
the plains and in Indiana, when in the timbered sections, 
young cane. The flesh had a wild, venison taste that gave 
it an excellent flavor. The hump was considered the choice 
piece. The buffalo of this country were hard to domesticate, 
not tractible as the buffalo in the old country. When they 
were domesticated, they became valuable in drawing im- 
mense loads. There were no such numbers of these animals 
in southern and southwestern Indiana when the pioneers first 
came to it, as was described by Daniel Boone when he first 
traversed the wilds of Kentucky, nor were there so many as 
there were at a much later date in northern and northwestern 
Indiana, on the prairies and around the Kankakee country. 
The reason for this was probably that the southern section of 
the state was a dense wilderness and the home of the 
panther, which was the only animal in Indiana that could 
contend successfully with the buffalo. The panther, from a 
perch in a tree, near a lick, would land on the buffalo's back 
and could not be shaken off, but would retain his hold, and 
with his long, sharp claws, cut the jugular vein. In this way 



PIONEER HISTORY OF INDIANA. 429 

untold numbers of buffalo were killed. 

The settlers who were in the state before 1810 did kill 
some buffalo. All the country' in southwestern Indiana, 
alonjf the rivers and branch bottoms and the foothills, were 
covered with a rich j^rowth of cane. On this the buffalo 
could live in the winter and have the shelter of the timber 
and brush for protection; but they were so verv wild it was 
very hard to g^et near enough to shoot at them with any 
certainty. 

THE ELK. 

The elk was of the deer species and between the red deer 
of this country and the moose of the northeastern states in ap- 
pearance. In the shape of the bod}' the}' resembled the deer, but 
were many times larger. The male had a pair of very large, 
branching antlers. It has been known when standing on the 
point, that a man six feet tall could walk under them. It would 
seem impossible that they could make any speed through the 
woods with such an enormous pair of horns; but they would 
lay them back on their shoulders and run very fast. Hunters 
who moved to Indiana from the south claimed that the elk 
were not nearly so large there as the ones which they found 
here. Those that were in this section were much inferior in 
size to those in Minnesota and the Dakotas. There they 
were said to be the size of a horse. Hunters with the Lewis 
and Clark expedition to Oregon claimed to have killed an elk 
on the headwaters of the Missouri river that was twice the 
size of those that were in Indiana, Illinois and Missouri. 

The flesh of the elk is dark and coarse, like that of the 
buffalo, but very nutritious. They are very shy animals, and 
when disturbed will run three and four miles without stop- 
ping. An old male elk, when wounded, will tight most des- 
perately, and anything that comes within range of his horns 
is sure to be badly hurt. The skin of these animals was used 
for many useful purposes. The elk is easily domesticated 
and has been known to pull a sled over frozen ground two 
hundred miles in one day. 

THE DEEK. 

The red deer is one of the most beautiful creatures of all 



PIONEER HISTORY OF INDIANA. 430 

the animal king-dom. The}' were in such numbers in all sec- 
tions of Indiana up to 1840, that a hunter with any sort of 
skill could kill two or three each day. Many old hunters, 
after the Indians had gone away, which allowed them to 
hunt in security, would kill eight and ten a day. 

The deer undergoes three distinct colors during the 
3-ear — red in the spring, blue in the fall, and gre}' in the win- 
ter. The skin is best when red or blue; when grey it is of 
little value. The meat is the most easily digested of an)% 
and v/hen cooked in the fat of the bear or in hog's lard, it 
was the most delicious steak of any. Venison, cooked in its 
own fat, is not so good, as the fat makes tallow, and when so 
cooked, the meat is dr}-. 

The deer lives on vegetable food and has one peculiar- 
it3' — that of having no gall, as they did not require that 
agent to help in digesting their food. The skin, as well as 
the meat, was used for so many purposes by the first settlers 
in Indiana, that it was almost indispensable, and many of the 
scant comforts that the pioneers did have would have been 
materially lessened if there had been no deer. The does have 
their fawns in the middle of the spring, usually two. These 
little creatures were of a pale, red color, with white spots, 
and it is said that there was no odor about them which would 
attract the wolf or the wildcat to the beds where they were 
hidden by their mothers. They would bleat much like a 
young lamb, and when the mother heard them she would run 
to them. Many an old mother doe has been killed by the 
hunters who could imitate the bleat of the fawn. When 
three months old they can follow iheir mother and run ver}' 
fast. The male deer, or "bucks. "" as the hunters call them, 
shed their horns each year about ihe first of spring. At that 
time the}' separate from the does and go into seclusion. 
Where the}- drop their old horns has been a very hard ques- 
tion for the hunters to decide, for but very few of them are 
ever found. As soon as the old horns are off, the new ones 
commence to grow; in fact, it is believed that the new ones, 
crowd the old ones off. The new horn is covered all over 
with a thick coat which looks like velvet and it grows verv 



PIONEER HISTORY OF INDIANA. 431 

fast. In sixty to ninet}' days the new horns are fully formed. 
As soon as the horn has its growth, the velvety skin bejjins 
to break open and peel off. The deer helj) jjet it off by rub- 
binjjf their horns aj^ainst small saplinjjfs and brush. The 
one-year-old male fawn grows a short, shar]> sjnke on each 
side of its forehead. When it is two years old it will grow a 
forked horn, and at three years old, three i)()inted horn, and 
so on up — one for each year to seven or eight year. Nine 
points on the horn of the red deer s])ecies have been seen. 

The deer are very fleet of foot and can run for a long dis- 
tance at a time when pursued by dogs or wolves. They are 
lightning-quick motioned. In their hind legs they seem to 
have the strength of a much larger animal, although a small 
hand can easily reach around their ankle, but the man who 
attempted such a thing was sure to come to grief. In the 
middle of the fall, when the mating season comes on, the 
deer are very fat. During this period the male deer run verv 
much and have the most terrible combats, trying to gore each 
other with their sharp horns, often interlocking them so 
tightly together that they cannot loosen the hold and remain 
in this condition until they are starved to death. During 
this running period the bucks become very poor and their 
necks swell and their meat is not fit to be used, as it has a 
very disagreeable, muskv odor. During the winter months, 
the deer go in droves like sheep, and unless there is a large 
mast of acorns or they are in the blue grass country where 
the grass is green, under that which has fallen down, the)' 
become very thin. 

In the early spring droves of these deer would come into 
the wheat fields when the wheat first began to show and bite 
it down even with the ground. They were hard to keep out 
and were too thin in flesh to be of any use to the hunters, 
who resorted to the notched hickory rattle, which made a 
fearful noise, and would try to drive them away. They would 
run to the side of the field farthest from the rattle and com- 
mence again to nip the short wheat. A deer would kill any 
sort of a snake so quickly that you could hardly see their mo- 
tions until they had torn it all to pieces. On discovering a 



432 PIONEER HISTORY OF INDIANA. 

snake the}^ would go near it, when it would coil up in a bunch 
read}- for battle. The deer would bound into the air and 
come down with all of its feet on that coil and with lig-htning-- 
like stamps and strokes, tear it into shreds. After deer be- 
came less plentiful in Indiana, they were much harder to find 
and the hunters resorted to man}' ways of killing them. The 
saline licks that Nature distributed at convenient places for 
all wild animals to secure the needed salt for their health, 
were often watched, and as the deer in the night, would come 
to these licks, the hunter from a screen would shoot them. 
These "licks," as they were called, were provided by the 
Great Giver of all things for the bovine creation, and as the 
need of them'has passed, it is doubtful if any exist now in 
Indiana that have any saline taste about them. The deer 
was an inquisitive animal and the hunter would shine their 
eyes with a torch and slip upon them. Both these modes of 
killing deer were considered by the real hunters as taking 
unfair advantage of these harmless animals. 

The black tailed deer, sometimes called the mule deer 
(this term I suppose comes from the fact that they are a spe- 
cies between the elk and the red deer in appearance, and par- 
take of some of the peculiarities of both) has meat in taste 
and color between that of the red deer and the elk, but there 
is no doubt that they propagate their own species. The 
black tailed deer are found only west of 105 west longitude 
and goes north to about 54 north latitude. In all the vast 
belt south and west of these lines it is and has been in vast 
numbers, to the Pacific Ocean. 

THE BLACK BEAR. 

The bear stood at the head of all the game animals for 
general use by the pioneers in Indiana. They were not so 
plentiful as the deer, but were in such numbers that all 
could be supplied with their meat and grease for more than 
twenty-five years after Indiana began to be settled. From 
1800 up to 1815 or 1820 they were so plentiful that it was im- 
possible to raise pigs, as the bears would carry them off in 
the daytime. 

The bear is a peculiar species andl there is no other 



PIONEER HISTORY OF INDIANA. 433 

animal that in an}- wa}' resembles them in habit or appear- 
ance. When full-grown and fat, the usual weight is from 
350 to 400 pounds. Their flesh, when properly cooked, is the 
most delicious, as well as nutritious, of an)' animal that was 
found in this countr}-. Their meat when killed, after taking- 
otf the hide, was formerly cut up much as we do that of the 
hog now, salted and bacon made out of it. The lard or 
grease was used as hog's lard is, for all purposes in preparing 
the food. The bear is not a vicious animal, onlj- when 
wounded or in defending their young; then they will fight to 
the last, and are very dangerous. They have great skill in 
using their fore arms and used to parry the blow of a toma- 
hawk by this means. 

In an article about a bear recently, the writer claimed 
that the hugging so much talked of was never broug-ht into 
use only when the bear had a pig- too heavy to carry away in 
its mouth, as it would then rear on its hind legs and carry it 
off in its arms. This writer, possibly, had never had a battle 
with a bear. In 1819 a young man named John Deputy, from 
Kentucky, was in the neighborhood of the place where 
Hazelton, Indiana, now is, visiting some friends. One day' 
while out hunting he caught a young bear cub; before he 
could get away, the old mother was on him. In fighting her 
with his tomahawk he broke her under jaw. She caught him 
in her arms and hugged him to death, breaking- his ribs as if 
they had been pipe-stems. This incident was given to the 
author by Mrs. Nancy Gullick. 

There could be fifty instances given where the bear, in 
fighting both Indians and white men, came near squeezing- 
the life out of them with their strong arms. It used to be a 
common saying with old hunters, that they had no fear of a 
bear so long as they could keep from being pounded to death 
with its strong arms or squeezed to death. There are but 
very few instances on record where the bear has been known 
to attack a man unless wounded or their cubs disturbed, and 
this continued to be the case in most sections of the country. 
After Braddock's defeat at Fort Duquesne in 1755, where so 
many men were killed and left for the animals and vultures 



434 PIONEER HISTORY OF INDIANA. 

to feast on, the bears in that section became so used to eating 
human flesh that afterward the}^ were ferocious and would ■ 
attack a man at sight. The same was true in 1791 at St. 
Clair's defeat and in the everglades of Florida where Major 
Dade's arm}' was murdered and slaughtered b}' the Seminole 
Indians. The bears in that section for man}' years afterward 
would attack every human being they saw. 

Bears look to be awkward and clumsy, but such is not 
the case. It can, with ease, climb the tallest tree, and when 
lean, can run very fast. They eat nearly every sort of food, 
but beechnuts, chestnuts and acorns are the food on which 
they fatten very fast. At times in early autumn, just before 
the nuts begin to fall, they will climb the oak and beech, 
trees and pull the limbs to secure the nuts. This the old 
hunters called "lopping." After becoming very fat in the 
late fall or early winter, they will seek for a suitable hollow 
tree and go into a long sleep, called hibernating, and do not 
wake up until spring, when the frost is gone. It was always 
thought that they sucked their paws during this long period 
of rest and subsisted on the oil they drew out of them. At 
those times when they have been smoked out of their dens 
and killed during the winter months, in dressing them there 
was a large amount of pure oil found in the alimentary canal, 
sometimes as much as two gallons. There has been much 
speculation as to how the oil came there. The most accepted 
theory is that nature has provided the animal with absorbent 
vessels which gather the oil from the fat of the body into the 
stomach for sustenance during the long sleep. 

They raised cubs each year, usually two. At first these 
cubs are not larger than small kittens and are quite helpless 
for some time. When they commence to grow they are the 
most playful of all animals. They remain with their mother 
until about one year old, when they commence to care for 
themselves. There is something in the formation of the 
bones or muscles of the bear different from any other animal. 
They will let go all hold and fall from the top of a tall tree 
to the ground all in a bundle and bound up two or three feet 
without doing them the least harm. Like the hog, they had 



PIONEER HISTORY OF INDIANA. 435 

a wallow in the mud and water where they resorted during 
the hot days of summer and spent much of their time there. 
When the tirst corntields were planted, the bears made them- 
selves at home when the roasting- ears were ready — in many 
cases destroying the entire field. Their skins were dressed on 
the fleshy side, leaving the hair on, and were used by many a 
mother for a pallet for her young children, and in many cases 
the}' were all the doors or shutters that many families had 
for some time, after building their first cabin. 

THK GKEY AND FOX-SQUIKKELS. 

These squirrels are both natives of this country and have 
up to a few years past been very plentiful and filled a needed 
place in the bill of fare on ever}' hunter's table. The}' be- 
came at times a very great pest in cornfields, and if not 
killed or the field guarded, would destroy a large amount of 
corn. In the early times the farmers organized hunting 
parties, with three or four on a side, and set a day to meet at 
a stated place and count the scalps of the squirrels which 
they had killed. The side having the most scalps was to en- 
joy a dinner or supper of good things prepared by the de- 
feated ones. In these round-ups they would have several 
hundred scalps each, representing a few days' hunting only. 
This may seem to have been cruel sport to the people of this 
date, but it had to be done or the cornfields would have been 
ruined. The squirrel is the must active and graceful of all 
the rodent family, and when in such numbers as they were in 
all parts of Indiana up to 1850. competent to do the corn crop 
more harm than all the other animals. The meat of these 
little animals, when properly prepared for food, is most de- 
licious. These little rodents at times would migrate from 
one section to another. What the cause of this was, was 
hard to tell, but at such times the farmers would be very 
much alarmed for fear they would destroy their corn. When 
they started, nothing would change their course. They 
would climb over nn)untains and cross wide and deep rivers. 
When it was known that they were on the go, the hunters 
and farmers would kill liiousands of them. The scjuirrel was 



436 PIONEER HISTORY OF INDIANA. 

a great tell-tale on other animals. The hunter has often lain 
in wait for the approaching bear or deer who he knew was 
coming- toward him b}' the noise of the squirrels as they, up 
in the trees, could be heard chattering awa}" back on the 
course the animal had come, and would begin to chatter as 
soon as it had passed the tree the}' were on. 

RABBITS. 

The rabbit is a domestic animal and hardl}' worth}' of 
mention in the game list. They were very few in Indiana in 
an early day. Whether the animals which would eat them 
kept the numbers down or whether they increased more as 
the country became settled up, is not known, but there are 
twenty here now where there was one in 1840. They are 
very poor meat in comparison with the squirrel, and people 
would not eat them when g^ame was plentiful. 

ANTELOPE. 

This is a very beautifully formed animal and probably 
the swiftest of all the deer family. They are very shy and 
constantly on the watch for an enemy. After the Americans 
came to Indiana, they were not often seen, as they inhabited 
the prairie sections around Terre Haute and in the north and 
northwestern part of the state. 

The soldiers on Indian campaigns tell of seeing the an- 
telope in small herds, which were always on the run. In the 
northwestern portion of the state the antelope was killed as 
late as 1840, but since that date there is no account of any 
having been seen in Indiana. The plains of the great west 
were roamed by thousands of herds of these animals as late 
as the middle of the '80s. There are yet many herds of them 
seen on the plains of North Dakota. 



GAME BIRDS. 

THE TURKEY. 

The turkey was the most important of the game birds, 
and furnished to many families the largest portions of their 
meat rations. When Indiana was first hunted over by the 



PIONEER HISTORY OF INDIANA. 437 

white man, turkeys were in such numbers that in one day's 
hunt there would be seen many flocks of these birds, nuraber- 
injf from fifty to seventy-five in each flock. They were con- 
tinually roaming over the countr}' for their food, and each, 
day would travel man}' miles, usually in a circular form, at 
night returning- to the same section for roosting in the tallest 
trees high up from the ground. They gathered all sorts of 
insects for their food, also the sassafras, dogwood and black- 
gum berries, which were their choicest foods. 

They hid their nests in a secluded spot and laid from 
twelve to sixteen eggs and were four weeks setting before 
they hatched. During this period of incubation the old tur- 
key hen did not leave her nest but a very few times, hunting 
for food and water. When the young birds were hatched, the 
mother was very careful not to expose them to the wet until 
the downy stage had passed and they had feathers which 
would shed the water. This fine game bird was easil}' do- 
mesticated. The wild ones have almost been exterminated 
in this state. 

There is a good story told of how the turkey fooled the 
eagle to keep from being carried off. The eagle catches its 
pre}' on the wing, and as it would swoop down to catch the 
turkey, it would squat down on the ground and spread out its 
wings and turn its long tail up perpendicularly. The eagle 
would hit the tail and fail to strike the body. A hunter re- 
lated the story of having watched a pair of eagles tr3'ing ta 
catch turkeys one evening until they wore themselves out, 
without succeeding. When hunting for a national emblem, 
Dr. Franklin expressed a wish that the turkey rather than 
the eagle should be taken for it. 

In hunting for turkeys at certain seasons of the year, 
they were easil}' fooled. The hunter, during the molting 
season, would locate where an old gobbler was gobbling and 
go as near without being seen as he thought safe, and then 
would commence to "cawk," using a bone taken from the tur- 
key's wing for that purpose, with which he could very closely 
imitate the calling noise made by the hen turkey. The old 
gobbler would go to the sound, continuing to gobble, and 



438 PIONEER HISTORY OF INDIANA. 

when the hunter had thus lured the bird near enough, he 
would kill it. 

The turkey is a higfh-headed bird and formerl}' man}- of 
them were caug-ht in pens. A trench was dug- under the side 
of the pen and corn sprinkled in the trench. The turke3'S 
would pick up the corn and thus enter the pen, and when he 
had eaten the corn would elevate its head and try to get out 
at the cracks between the logs, never thinking of stooping 
down and going out the wa}' it came in. 

THE RUFFLED GROUSE OR PARTRIDGE. 

This bird, known to old people in Indiana as pheasant, is 
a beautiful bird sixteen or eighteen inches long, bulky and 
heavy to its looks. It is of a brownish color, very much re- 
sembling the dry leaves where it has its home. There is a 
small bunch of dark feathers on each side of its neck called 
the ruff and a dark band near the end of its broad tail. They 
are a very shy bird and can easily hide so as not to be distin- 
guished from the general appearance of the surroundings. 
When disturbed and not iinding a suitable hiding place, they 
will take wing and fly v6ry fast, making a peculiar whirring 
sound that is so noticeable, that any one ever hearing it 
would recognize it again. 

This fine game bird has no superior when prepared for 
the table. Like all of its class of birds, one-third of it is 
breast or white meat. In the spring they make their nests 
very much the same as the common partridge or quail, as it 
is now called. 'When the young birds are hatched, in a very 
short time they follow the old birds wherever the}- go. In 
the springtime the male bird of this species drums on logs 
with his wings and makes a ver}- loud noise that can be 
easily heard a mile away. The}' commence to drum verj' 
slowly at first, but soon drum so fast that it is hard to deter- 
mine if it is not a continuous sound. This noise has often 
been taken for thunder. There are several theories as to how 
this bird makes this noise. One is that the drumming noise 
is caused by the quick motion of the wings against the air. 
Another theory is that there is an accommodation of nature 



PIONEER HISTORY OF INDIANA. 439 

under its win<j:s that it can inflate witli wind at its pleasure 
and the drummin}^ sound is caused by short and <iuick strokes 
with the win«>fs ayfainst this inflated drum. To a "Hoosier" 
who. when a boy. has seen this fine bird on old log^s, drum- 
ming and thumpinfj- with its wino:s, either of the above theo- 
ries is hard to accept. 

PKAIKIK HEN. 

The prairie hen was quite common up to forty years ago 
in the i>rairie sections of the state and in the timbered reg-ions 
for many miles around the prairies, but now there are very few 
to be seen. They are a very fine bird, about two-thirds the 
si/ce of the domestic hen. and are of the pheasant family. 

THE QUAIL OK "bOB WHITE." 

This bird, called in the central western states partridge, 
is the great game bird now in all sections of the middle west. 
While not easily domesticated, yet in most cases it makes its 
home in the grass and weeds on the farms. It supplies its 
own food from insects of all sorts and from the wild peas and 
from pulse. When the fields are harvested it raises its fam- 
ily in them by gleaning the scattered grains and heads left 
on the ground. In winter it lives on the wild seeds of grass 
and weeds; also on the berry of different sorts of trees and 
bushes and in the cornfields, gathering up the scattered 
grain. It can make its own living unless the winter is too 
severe and the snow is deep. Then the cove}- will hover to- 
gether in a round circle with their heads outward, and unless 
the farmer scatter grain within their reach at such times, 
man}' of them will starve. 

These birds roost in a huddle under bunches of grass or 
under a log. They make their nests in grass and lay from 
ten to fifteen eggs. The young birds in a few minutes after 
they are out of the shell can run like the wind; in fact, when 
the nest has been disturbed in hatching, the little birds have 
been seen running with a part of the shell adhering to them. 

THE PIGEON. 

In an early day the wild pigeons were so plentiful in the 



440 PIONEER HISTORY OF INDIANA. 

fall of the year in all sections of this state as to be a menace 
to the safet)^ of those traveling- along the narrow road or 
hunting- in the woods. They were after the bitter mast that 
grew on the red or ridge oak. These trees were mostly of a 
shrubby growth and the wood was very brittle. At night 
these birds by countless thousands would roost in these trees. 
They would settle on their roost in such numbers as to break 
off large limbs, and sometimes the tree itself would break 
down. Hunters at times would be after them with torches, 
and when thej^ would fire at a cluster, the pigeons would rise 
to fly from the surrounding timber, and there would be a 
crash of limbs and falling- tree-tops such as was never heard 
only in the most severe tornado. They were also found 
where there was beech timber, as they were very fond of the 
beechnut. They would remain in sections until most of the 
nuts and acorns were gathered and then fly away to other 
woods to gather food. In many places in Indiana there were 
what were known as "Pigeon Roosts." where the pigeons, by 
countless thousands, would gather year after year, covering- 
several miles of territor}' for their roosts. Two of the largest 
of these roosts were in Scott and eastern part of Marion 
Counties. In the fall of the year, as these birds were making- 
their flight from the cold north to the warmer climate of the 
southland, they were seen in such immense numbers and cov- 
ered such a large territory in their flight, that the sun would 
be darkened for an hour at a time. Their meat is not re- 
garded as of much value. It is very dark and has a strong- 
pigeon odor about it that injured its value for food. 

THE TURTI^E DOVE. 

This innocent bird has been regarded as an emblem of 
constant and faithful attachment, expressing its affection by 
billing and cooing in the gentlest and most soothing accents. 
Wilse, the great naturalist, said: "This is a favorite bird 
with all who love to wander among the woods and fields in 
the spring and listen to the varied harmony. They will hear 
many a sprightly performer but none so mournful as the 
dove. The hopeless woe of settled sorrow swelling the 



PIONEER HISTORY OF INDIANA. 441 

heart of the female, innocence itself could not assume 
tones more sad. more tender and affectin«>-." There 
is, however, nothing- of real distress in all this. It is 
the voice of love for which the whole family of doves are 
celebrated. They are a ver)' tame bird, found mostly near 
the farms or habitations of man. They have never been 
charjjed with doing any harm to the crops or anything else, 
but they do destroy many insects, and are so constantly about 
the farm, winter and summer, that they are regarded as real 
friends. 

In making- their nests, but little care is taken, as it is 
quite common to find them on top of a stump or on the end of 
projecting fence rails. The young birds have but little pro- 
tection from the elements or security from the hawk or 
prowling mink. They raise from two to three sets of young 
birds during the spring and summer months. Some people 
class these harmless birds with game birds. This certainl}' 
is wrong. Anyone who can find pleasure in murdering the 
innocent doves must have a heart seared with avarice or 
meanness. 



FEROCIOUS ANIMALS. 

THE PANTHER. 

The panther stands at the head of ferocious animals 
which inhabited Indiana. They were in such numbers in all 
the timbered sections that the Indians regarded them as very 
dangerous. The}' would attack a man and did kill manj^ 
Indians, as well as white persons. The}' were very destruc- 
tive to elk and deer and would attack the buffalo. Its usual 
height was about three feet, its length about six feet, ex- 
clusive of the tail, which was from two to two and a half feet 
long. This animal was equipped with a most formidable 
and sharp set of claws, that it could extend two inches from 
the end of its toes. Like all the cat tribe, it caught all of its 
prey by stealing on it unawares. These animals caught most 
of their food hiding in the trees near a saline lick, and as the 
elk, deer and buffalo would pass going from or to the lick, it 



442 PIONEER HISTORY OF INDIANA. 

would land on its back. The animal, unless it was a small 
deer, would run for a long" distance with the panther- on its 
back before bleeding- to death from the lacerations made with 
its claws. In color it was tawny to a dark-brown on its back 
and sides and was of a pale _vellow color on its under parts. 

They raised their kittens in a large hollow tree or in a 
cave, from three to six at a birth. It is disputed whether 
they have more than one set of kittens during- the year. 
DeLome says that he has seen the kittens in the early spring- 
and late fall. After killing a deer or other animal and eating 
all they wanted, they would drag the carcass to a secluded 
place, cover it up with grass, brush and leaves and watch it. 
If any other animal attempted to interfere, it would light for 
the carcass to the death. Their hides, when tanned, made 
g-ood clothing and moccasins. 

The panther would not attack a human being as long as 
the face was toward it, but would stand near, turning its 
head from side to side as if trying to avoid the gaze, patting 
its tail cat-like, but the moment the back was turned it would 
spring upon its victim. When traveling, they went in a long 
leap as fast as a horse could run, and at short intervals made 
a whining cry, seemingly not loud, but which could be heard 
a mile awa}'. 

In 1830 in Washington County, Indiana, a dagger trap 
was set for a small animal. Sometime during the night a 
panther was nosing around the trap trying to get the bait, 
when it sprung the trap and the dagger went through its 
ears into its socket in the trap. The next da}- the panther 
was killed about one mile from Sullivan, Indiana with the 
dagger still fast in its ear. 

The Puma of the countrj' west of the Rocky mountains 
is a little longer in bod)" and heavier than the panther which 
was known in the central west. The latter was of a darker 
color and if possible more ferocious and vicious. 

THE WOLF. 

The wolf is of the canine species and was regarded b}' 
the pioneers as a despicable, mean sneaking snarling animal. 



PIONEER HISTORY OF INDIANA. 443 

They were very prolific and went in largfe packs, securin^jf 
their food from the lesser animals which they could run 
down. When a very lar«>fe pack of wolves had been toj^-ether, 
they have been known to surround a buffalo and worry it 
until almost exhausted by the continual rushes made bv 
the pack from different parts of the circle, until they killed 
it. Notwithstanding: this they were re^^arded as very cow- 
ardly and would only attack when in lar}>-e numbers and had 
the decided advantaije. The first settlers in this country 
who tried to raise sheep, found it a very difficult proposition. 
They had to pen them every niyfht or they would have been 
killed by the wolves which would conj^reo^ate near the farms 
upon which the sheep had been placed in pens and keep up a 
continuous howl for hours at a time. 

The grey or timber wolf which was a native of the tim- 
ber sections of Indiana was about as large as a gfood sized 
doyf, without possessing: any of the redeeminjj qualities of his 
brother. On the prairie sections of the State were immense 
numbers of what were known as prairie wolves. These de- 
spicable creatures would set up such a noise as soon as nigfht 
came on, that when near a camp, would drown out all other 
sounds. They had a kind of tremulo in their voices so that 
one could make a sound as if a dozen were howling^. When 
the soldiers on Indian campaigns were in the section of the- 
state where these wolves lived, and in camp, the odor of the 
cooking would gather around their camp hundreds of these 
animals. 

General Scott, of Kentucky, at one time had a camp on 
one of our prairies. He had his horses picketed out and 
these wolves set up such a howl that his horses stampeded, 
pulling their stake pins and it was some time before all of 
them were found again. 

THE BOB CAT OK WILD CAT. 

This animal was very plentiful in all sections of Indiana 
■and was not regarded as dangerous to man as it would not 
attack unless hemmed in; then it attacked with a furv that 
no other animal ever had. The wild cat has a body 



444 PIONEER HISTORY OF INDIANA. 

about three feet long- and a little over two feet high with 
only a ver}^ short tail. The head is short and broad. Its 
mouth is armed with long- and very sharp teeth. Its leg-s, 
long for its body, are thick and strong. It is armed with 
long and sharp claws. This animal has been known to 
defeat six dogs in a battle, killing two of them and scratch- 
ing- the eyes out of two more of them. It secures food 
from smaller animals and birds and will carry off small 
shoats and it is very destructive to all sorts of poultry, 
chickens, turkeys and g-ee'se. 



PUR BEARING ANIMALS. 

THE BEAVER 

The American beaver once dwelt in g-reat numbers in all 
the rivers, lakes and creeks of North America and in no part 
of it more than along the many streams and lakes of Indiana. 
The mound builders in many parts of North America have 
left monuments to commemorate the beaver, which have 
stood the test of countless centuries. The Indians who in- 
habited all parts of the United States have some leg-end hj 
which their association with this intelligent animal is noted. 
Bancroft, the historian, said in an article that in cleanliness, 
'thrift and architectural skill the beaver was far superior to 
the Red Man. 

The beaver is an amphibious quadruped which cannot 
live more than a short period under water. It is asserted 
they can live without water all the time if occasionally pro- 
vided with a chance to bathe. The largest beaver is nearly 
four feet long- and will weig-h nearly sixty pounds. It has a 
round head like the otter only larger, small eyes and short 
ears. Its teeth are very long- and so shaped in its mouth as 
to be best suited to cut down trees and for cutting the logs of 
proper length for building or repairing a dam. Its fore legs 
are not more than four or five inches long. The hind legs 
are longer. The tail of the beaver seems to have no relation 
to the rest of the body except the hind feet. The tail is cov- 



PIONEER HISTORY OF INDIANA. 445 

ered with skin on which there are scales which resemble a 
fish and is from ten to twelve inches lonj*- and about four 
inches broad in the middle. 

The color of the beaver differs according- to the climate 
in which it is found. Those to the far south are much 
lighter brown than the ones found in the north, which are 
almost black. The fur is of two distinct sorts all over the 
body. The longest is generally about one inch; on the back 
sometimes it is more than two inches, diminishing in length 
toward the head and tail. This part of the fur is coarse and 
of but little value. The under fur is very thick and is really 
a very fine down, about three-quarters of an inch in length. 
This is the fur that makes the beaver skin so valuable in 
market. 

The intelligence of this animal in building their dams 
and constructing their houses and providing their food' is 
wonderful. When the)' are to choose a place for a new dam, 
they assemble several hundred, apparently holding a conven- 
tion. After their deliberations are over, they repair to the 
place agreed on, always where there is plenty of such timber, 
needed for the construction of their house, dams, and for 
their provisions, usually poplar, cottonwood, willow, linden 
and catalpa, all of these being: soft woods. Their houses are 
always in the water, and when they cannot find a lake or 
pond, they will supply the deficiency by damming a creek, 
sometimes good-sized rivers. In this way they raise the 
water, held by their strong dams to the required depth. They 
then commence to fell large trees. They cut the trees that 
g^row above the place where they want to build, so they can 
float them down with the current. From three to five beavers 
will set about cutting the tree down with their strong, sharp 
teeth. The}' select such trees as will fall toward the lake or 
creek, so as to lessen their labor. After the log is in the 
water, two or three beaver manage so that it floats to a 
point where they want to use it. To sink the log into the 
water, the beaver uses a large amount of mud, carrying it on 
their tails and piling it on the log until there is a sufficient 
amount to sink it. When they have it in place and the 



446 PIONEER HISTORY OF INDIANA. 

framework of the dam is completed, the}- will chinck the 
opening- with rocks, if the}^ can get them — if not, with small 
pieces of timber and limbs. Then the}' make a mortar b_y 
tramping- it with their feet, then plastering the dam all over, 
using- their tails for mortar carriers and trowels until it is 
strong and water-tight. 

In building- their houses, after they have the dam com- 
pleted, the)^ show evidence of great skill. Selecting a place 
in the water held b}' the dam, the}' first make a foundation 
on the bottom of the dam or lake with logs and poles. Upon 
this they build their houses, which are circular in shape and 
oval at the top. There is always enough of the house which 
stands above any possible overflow of the stream, so that the 
beaver can have his home always dry and cozy. Each cabin 
is large enough to hold from six to ten beavers, and built so 
that they can have easy communication with each others' 
houses. There are usually quite a number of their houses at 
each dam. They are so constructed and held together Avith 
timber and brush, limbs and rocks, all of which is plastered 
inside and out as perfectly as the best masons could do it. 
The entrance to these houses is from below, which they swim 
to. When these houses are opened they are found to be 
models of neatness. The floor, which is made with a network 
of small limbs and twigs, intertwined together and nicely 
plastered over, is carpeted with dry grass and leaves. 

It is said that winter never overtook these intelligent 
animals unprepared, as their stock of provisions was always 
securely laid up in their store houses, consisting of small 
pieces of wood such as limbs and saplings of poplar, willow, 
asp, and linden. These small pieces were cut an even length 
and piled so they would retain their moisture. The beaver 
eats the bark from these sticks and a small portion of the 
soft wood next to the bark and uses the balance of it for 
chincking and mending their dams and houses. Volumes 
could be written about these wonderful animals. 

In every part of Indiana where there was water and tim- 
ber, the beaver was in unusual numbers, and the places 
where they had dams can be easily traced. About twenty 



PIONEER HISTORY OF INDIANA. 447 

3-ears ajfo the author was havin^if the spread of a creek,, 
which the beavers had dammed, ditched so that the water 
would follow the channel, and found the entire distance from 
where the channel stopped to where it was found agfain, more 
than a (luarter of a mile, to be a continuous set of beaver 
dams and houses, made of catalpa timbers which were per- 
fectly sound. The stumps the}' had cut the trees from were 
sound, showinif the marks of their teeth. 

THE OTTER 

This animal is acjuatic and secures its food from fish. Its^ 
body is about three feet in length, from the head to the tail. 
The tail is about eighteen or twenty inches long and flat- 
tened in shape, and is used in swimming. The otter fur is 
ver}' valuable. It is a brown color, the under part being 
brighter. These animals are very playful and have slides 
wherever there is a long sloping bank. They go to the top, 
spread out their feet and slide head first into the water. 
When they come up they swim to the shore and are ready for 
another slide. They have been known to make regular to- 
boggan slides, selecting a place suitable for the slide at a 
sloping high bank on the river or lake in which they live if 
one is to be had; if not they select a suitable place as near 
their home as possible and make a regular toboggan slide of 
it. As many as four have been seen at a time coming down 
a long slope enjoying the fun as much as school boys with 
their sleds. The otter is easily domesticated and when made 
tame shows more real attachment for its master than a dog. 
The Indians living near the lakes had many tame otters and 
would take them where there was the best fishing ground 
and have the otter fish for them. It is said that a fish very 
seldom got away from them, having once been sighted. 

THE RACCOON. 

This valuable animal was in all sections of the state of 
Indiana in vast numbers. Their skins are covered with a 
heavy suit of fur of a gray color, much darker in the winter 
months than in the summer. The leuirth of the bodv is 



448 PIONEER HISTORY OF INDIANA. 

about twent3--four inches, with a long bushy tail, alternating- 
black and white rings upon it. They are nocturnal in their 
habits and secure their food from many sources; various sorts 
of roots that they dig-, small animals, frogs and birds, often 
robbing- the nests. The}' are skillful chicken thieves, rob- 
bing the hen roost at night. The coon skin in an early day 
was a legal tender, and paid for many of the comforts of the 
home, ammunition and needed articles for the early settlers 
.and also for man)' thousands of acres of land first entered 
in Indiana. 

They were hunted in two ways. One was to track them 
in the snow and find a tree in which the)' had a colony. The 
other, the one resorted to most often by our fathers, was to 
hunt for them at night with dogs trained for that purpose. 
The coon would take a tree as soon as the dogs on the trail 
got close to it. If there was a good moon and ammunition 
was not scarce, the hunter would locate the coon in the tree, 
and going to a point where its body was between him and 
the moon, he would shoot it. Most of the time the tree was 
cut down and the dog would catch the coon. Many stories 
can be told about coon hunting. A laughable one is told by 
Finley in his "Early Footnotes" on a clerical friend of his 
who, when a young man, was out with a party coon hunting. 
The dog treed the coon, and as the embryo minister was 
known to be good at climbing trees, it was decided that he 
should climb the tree and shake the coon out. Accordingly 
he ascended the tree, carefully looking for the coon. Finally 
he located it high up on one of the topmost branches. Pro- 
ceeding cautiously, he succeeded in reaching the limb just 
below the one which the coon was on. Raising himself to a 
standing position, that he might reach the limb, the limb 
was heard to crack and began to give way. He was fully 
thirty feet from the ground, and realizing the danger he was 
in, he cried out to his companions below, "I am falling." 
Knowing that it would most likely kill him, they called to 
him to pray. "Pray!" said he, "I haven't time." "But you 
must pray — if you fall, you will be killed." He commenced 
repeating the only prayer he knew, "Now I lay me down to 



PIONEER HISTORY OF INDIANA. 449 

sleep." He could g-et no further, but called out at the top of 
his voice, "Hold the dogs, I'm coming." And he Jdid come 
with a crash that came near killing him. The dogs, thinking 
it was the coon, could with difficulty be restrained^from at- 
tacking the coon hunter. 

THE OPOSSUM 

The opossum is a small animal about twenty inches long, 
with a long tail that is entirel}' bare and rough like the com- 
mon rat tail. It is very destructive to tame poultry. The 
females have a sack or pocket in which they carry their 
young before they are able to run about. If j'ou strike at 
one he will lie down on his side and appear as if dead; as 
soon as your back is turned, jumping up and hurrying away; 
hence the expression — "playing 'possum." Their tails are 
used to make their hold secure when they are climbing along 
the limbs of small trees. The Indians regarded the 'possum 
as making one of the best dishes they had. The white peo- 
ple have always used them for food. When dressed they 
look much like a young pig. When baked with a liberal 
supply of sweet potatoes it is a dish fit for an epicure. The 
skin is covered with a fur and long white hair. When the 
hair is removed it leaves a very nice soft fur, out of which 
many articles of wearing apparel are made. 

THE FOX. 

The grey and red fox were two varieties which were very 
plentiful in the history of early Indiana. There were other 
varieties on the northern borders of the United States. They 
are of the canine species and are regarded as the shrewdest of 
all animals. They are not so tall in proportion to their 
length as the rest of the canine family. Their usual length 
is about thirty inches and they are about eighteen inches tall; 
having a slim, trim body, slender legs, small roundish head, 
with a sharp nose, short ears, eyes close together and a long, 
bushy tail. They burrow in the ground and are nocturnal in 
their habits. They live on small animals and are the worst 
of the poultrj- thieves, carrying off full-grown chickens and 
geese. They can kill and carry away a twenty-pound pig. 



450 PIONEER HISTORY OF INDIANA. 

These animals have furnished much sport. The)^ will 
run all day when pursued by a pack of fox hounds. It is 
known that a large red fox will give a pack of hounds a three 
days' run. When being- pursued they resort to many tricks- 
to lead the dogs from their trail — such as doubling back on 
their track, then springing upon the top of low bushes where 
grape vines are matted over them and running as far as the 
mat extends, then jumping off and running at right angles to 
their former course. Another device was brought to the au- 
thor's notice. A red fox in the eastern part of Knox county 
was, during the hunt, a long way ahead of the dogs. It 
turned on its trail, ran back to a place that it had chosen, 
jumped up a leaning log and climbed up for some distance, 
where it hid among a mat of vines until the dogs and hunters 
had passed. It then ran down and back on its own trail 
which the dogs had come over and escaped. 

When the water fowls were on the small lakes and ponds^ 
which are so numerous in northern and northwestern Indiana, 
the fox would secure a bunch of large green leaves and vines 
and so arrange them in its mouth that they would hide its 
body; then it would slowly swim out to the fowls, letting its 
body stay low in the water, and when very near them would 
let the leaves go and sink under the water, catching the duck 
or goose by the leg, then swim with it to the shore. 

Lincoln has related a story, illustrating the fox's cun- 
ning, which is as follows: 

It seems that the lions, tigers and panthers were kill- 
ing so many animals it was resolved to hold a convention of 
all species. In that convention it was agreed that the lions, 
tigers and panthers would abstain from killing all other ani- 
mals only when such animals were guilty of such crimes as 
lying, deceitfulness and slander. As the lion and other ani- 
mals lived by their expertness in catching such animals as 
they used for food, the conditions of the convention were 
hard on them, and seemed to hit the lion worse than the 
others; so he resolved to see if he could not cause some of the 
animals to violate some of the conditions of the compact. 
Stationing himself near a watering place, he waited to see 



PIONEER HISTORY OF INDIANA. 451 

what animals would come. The first was the innocent, un- 
suspecting- sheep. The lion said, "Good morning-, Mr.. 
Sheep." The sheep returned the salutation. The lion said, 
"Mr. Sheep, I am afraid that I am going to be sick, and as a 
favor to me I wish you would smell m}- breath and see what 
you think ails me." The sheep, glad to accommodate his big- 
neighbor, did so, and said, "Mr. Lion, you are in a very bad 
way. I never smelled so bad a breath and I think you will 
have to be very careful of yourself. The Lion said, "I will 
kill you, Mr. Sheep, for being a liar," which he did. He 
was soon hungry again and the next to come was a cow. The 
lion accosted her: "Good morning. Miss Cow, I am mighty 
glad to see you; I feel very bad and I thought I would ask if 
you could tell me what is the matter with me b}' smelling my 
breath." This she did and said, "Mr. Lion, you are certainly 
not ver}' badly ailing, for I never in all my life smelled so 
sweet a breath." "That is all right, Miss Cow, but I will 
kill you for being a flatterer." The lion was soon waiting- 
again, and the next to come along was the fox. The lion put 
the same question to him as he had to the others and asked 
him to smell his breath. The fox replied, "Brother Lion, I 
do feel greatly flattered by your showing me such distin- 
guished attention, and it would afford me the ver}' greatest 
pleasure if I could in the smallest degree add to your comfort. 
But, Mr. Lion, the fact is I have been running about so much 
of late to secure food for my family that I have taken a 
dreadful cold and it is impossible for me to smell anything." 

The skins of the foxes are sold the furriers and are 
made into caps and other articles of wearing apparel. The 
fox is a very playful animal and very easily domesticated. 

THE MINK. 

The mink is a long, slender animal, with a long, bush}' 
tail. It has a gland connected with its system where a sub- 
stance is secreted that has a ver}' disagreeable odor. They 
secure their food from small animals, birds and all sorts of 
fowls, to which thev are very partial. Their skin is covered 
with a rich black fur, which makes a very shiny and glossy 



452 PIONEER HISTORY OF INDIANA. 

g-arment, and is very high-priced. There are a number of 
persons engaged in raising them for the value of their fur. 
The mink is ver}'^ prolific and the venture is proving to be a 
valuable one. 

THE WEASEL. 

This small animal is nativt to all parts of Indiana. It is 
covered with a rich brownish fur. It secures its food from 
mice, rats and birds. They can kill from twenty to thirty 
chickens in a night, sucking the blood from them by making 
a small wound just below the ear. Their one redeeming 
quality is that they are very destructive to rats. 

THE GROUND-HOG. 

This animal that so many weather-wise persons have 
taken their cue from as to the condition of the weather in the 
earl}" spring, lives in the ground by making burrows in the 
side of a hill, always slanting upward, that they ma}" shed 
an)' water that may accumulate. The animal is from sixteen 
to eighteen inches long, of a dark greyish color above and a 
pale reddish color below. It has a thick, round body, a 
broad, flat head, with no neck apparently, short legs and 
bushy tail. It lives on vegetables and is especially fond of 
red clover. It spends the winter in its burrow in a lethargic 
state, and is said to be wide awake only a very few times from 
the beginning of the first cold weather in the fall until early 
spring. 

THE MUSK-RAT. 

The musk-rat is a native to all parts of Indiana, and is 
very destructive to any sort of vegetables that grow near its 
den in the bank of a creek or a pond. This is a very peculiar 
animal and the only one of its kind. In shape it looks 
much like the field rat. Its head and body together are about 
sixteen inches long; its tail ten inches. It is covered with a 
dark-brown fur. In some of its characteristics it agrees very 
well with the beaver. It is an aquatic animal and seldom 
wanders far from the creeks, ponds or lakes. Its skin is in 
great demand in the European market, and countless thou- 
sands of them are exported each year from the United States. 



PIONEER HISTORY OF INDIANA. 453 

It burrows in the bank for a home near where there is plenty 
of water and it builds itself a sort of house, lining- it with 
grass and making room in each house for two or three musk- 
rats. 

THE SKUNK. 

This animal is of the weasel family, but larger than 
either the mink or the weasel, and in size about the same as a 
house cat, but of a much more compact build. In color it is 
black or brown, with white stripes or streaks along its sides. 
It has a long, bush}' tail, which in traveling is extended the 
full length, straight up. This animal, like the mink, has an 
offensive odor about it, many times stronger than any other 
animal. It has a sack near the root of its tail which con- 
tains a fluid. When assailed, it will discharge this fluid with 
great precision at its adversaries, and woe be to a man or dog- 
who receives the full force of the discharge, for the odor is so 
intolerable it will make one deathly sick. It is a very tame 
animal, owing to its power of defense. The skins are used 
by furriers for making many articles of dress. 



BIRDS OF PREY, NATIVE TO INDIANA. 

THE EAGLE. 

The eagle is not only the largest bird native to Indiana, 
but is the most powerful and courageous of all birds of prey. 
It has a very strong beak, which is of considerable length, 
being straight most of the length and curved near the end, 
making it the weapon for tearing the flesh on which they 
live. Their legs are strong and covered with feathers to 
their toes, which have a strong, crooked claw. The bald 
eagle, the most common in Indiana, the male bird is three 
feet long and the female three and a half feet. When the 
wings are outstretched it measures about eight feet across. 
The female is not only larger, but possesses more courage, if 
that is possible. 

The eagle will soar to great heights. Their enormous 
strength enables them lo withstand the severest storm of 



454 PIONEER HISTORY OF INDIANA. 

wind. This great bird, with its bold and defiant glance, 
proud aerial flights and strength of limb, combines so many 
of the qualities which are esteemed noble that it was called 
by the ancients "The Celestial Bird," and in their mythology 
was the messenger of Jupiter and the bearer of his thunder- 
bolts. Its figure in gold or silver upon the ends of spears was 
the military ensign of the Romans and Persians. Young 
America followed their example and the figure of the eagle 
was accepted as an emblem of power. It is not a common 
bird, but it has its home in all parts of the world, building its 
nest on high rocky craigs, where it is almost impossible to 
reach them. It makes a very crude nest out of long sticks 
and limbs covered over with long grass and moss. The mother 
bird lays two eggs, sometimes three. The j^oung birds are 
fed on the flesh of rabbits, birds, lambs, fish and all sorts of 
animals. The young birds remain near their nesting place 
and are cared for by the parent bird until the next nesting 
season comes around. Then they look out for their own food 
and it is three years before they obtain their full growth. 
The eagle has one redeeming trait which is not followed by 
the bird family generally; that is, they choose their mates 
for life. 

THE HAWK. 

There are a great number of the hawk family that are 
native to Indiana, but only three varieties that are the most 
conspicuous of that great famil}- are here given. The largest 
of the hawks are what is known as the hen hawk. This bird 
is of a grey color, with a red tinge about its wings and tail. 
Its breast is of a red brick color; the under part of the body 
is of a lighter color, with dark spots over it. These large 
hawks are very common in all parts of our state. They 
make their nests in trees, using brush and sticks for that 
purpose. The young birds are fed on the flesh of birds and 
small animals. The )'Oung rabbit is their most common 
food. These hawks will carry a full-grown chicken away with 
perfect ease. They will catch a rabbit and carry it to the nest. 
If the young are large enough they will hold the live rabbits 



PIONEER HISTORY OF INDIANA. 455 

and have the little hawks practice learning- how to kill their 
prey. 

A man who raised a variety of rabbits had among- them 
a great man)' small white rabbits. The hawks began to 
prey upon them, catching one of his favorite ones every day. 
He tried in many ways to kill the hawk, but without success. 
He finally adopted the following plan: He secured several 
white cats and put them in place of the rabbits. The 
hawk made its usual trip. Catching one of the white cats in 
its talons, it started to fly away. All went well for awhile, 
but presentl)' there was seen a commotion in the air. Hawk 
feathers were flying in every direction. Finally hawk and 
•cat fell to the earth, the hawk with its throat cut. 

THE CHICKEN HAWK. 

The chicken hawk was so named because it was so won- 
derfully adept at catching chickens. These hawks are about 
half the size of the common large hen hawk, of dark color on 
their back and wings, and of a light mottled color on their 
bodies. These hawks can fl)^ very fast and are very brave 
and determined in their attacks upon chickens and j'oung tur- 
keys. In their attempt to catch )'oung birds, the mother 
chicken and turkeys have many a battle with them. They 
knock them down, flop them with their wings and feet, but 
the hawk seldom fails to secure the young fowl. These 
birds live on all sorts of small animals and birds and make 
their nests in the tree tops, living through the winter months 
sheltered in the timber. 

THE SPARROW HAWK. 

This bird is of a slate color except on its back, which is 
a chestnut color. The lower part of its bodj' and under its 
wings are of a beautiful light-grey color. It can fly very 
swiftly and lives on field mice and small birds. It 
will catch any sort of young fowl. As the country grows 
older they become more plentiful; as they are so small they 
are hard to hit with target rifles. 

THE HORNED OWL. 

The great horned owls have large grey eyes, long feathery 



456 PIONEER HISTORY OF INDIANA. 

ears, and are very pretty mottled birds of brown color. The 
under part of the bird is white, barred with black stripes. 
The eyes are large, as are those of all owls, and are so con- 
structed that they cannot see in the daytime, but can see at 
night. 

The home of these birds is in the dense forest. From 
there it visits the farms in the neighborhood around its home 
and is regarded as a great poultry thief. This bird catches 
its prey on the wing, and when visiting the old-fashioned hen 
roost where the chickens roost in the apple, peach and plum 
trees, it could not strike the chicken while flying on account 
of the limbs, but would light in the tree and sidle up to a hen 
and crowd her off the limb and as she fell or flew would catch 
her. These large birds build their nests in the hollow trees 
and in the daytime remain in these warm homes. This bird's 
note of challenge is Who! who! who! — sounded at short in- 
tervals. Aside from this noise it can scream very loudly. 

THE who! who! wah! owl. 

This bird inhabited all sections of Indiana in the or- 
chards and woods and at times would get into the barn-lofts. 
They would commence their notes with a screaming sound 
something like Yi! yi! yah! who! who! wah! These birds are 
not so large as the horned owl. They catch all sorts of birds 
and prey at night, the field mice and rabbits. They will 
light in a tree near a chicken roost and set up that screaming 
noise, which sounds very fierce. They are not large enough 
to carry away a full-grown hen, but can easily carry off a 
half-grown chicken. They have been known to light among 
the chickens and kill a hen, eating what they wanted of 
her and then flying away to their nest in the valley. They 
make their nests in hollow trees, the same as the horned owl, 
and remain in them during the day, only in very dark for- 
ests — they hide in the thick foliage of trees and come out at 
night. 

THE SCREECH OWL. 

This is a very common night bird of a red hue. It flies 
at all hours of the night, but remains in its den in some hoi- 



PIONEER HISTORY OF INDIANA. 457 

low tree during the da}-. These little birds have tufts of 
feathers which look like small ears on the side of their head» 
which, -with their big round eyes, give them a very comical 
look. They sound a whistling note, and if their nests are 
approached at night, will fight to the last. They catch all 
sorts of insects, mice and small birds, but are regarded as 
harmless and are encouraged to nest in barns. 



CHAPTER XVIII. 



SCHOOLS OF EARLY INDIANA. 



Houses — Books — Danger From Wild Animals — Opposi- 
tion TO Free Schools. 



The Legislature of 1821, both houses concurring-, raised 
the following committee— John Badollet and David Hart of 
Knox Count)% William W. Martin of Washington County, 
James Welch of Switzerland County, Daniel I. Casswell of 
Franklin County, Thomas C. Sereal of Jefferson County, and 
John Todd of Clark County, for the purpose of drafting a bill 
to be reported to the next Legislature of Indiana, providing 
for a general system of education. They were particularly 
instructed to guard well against any distinction between the 
rich and the poor.* The report of this committee was incor- 
porated in the first general school law of Indiana which is a 
part of the statute of 1824. 

There has been a deep interest in the people of the state 
from its very first organization for the education of rising 
generations. In one form and another this educational ques- 
tion was before every legislature from the first in territorial 
days, either asking aid to establish schools or in carrying out 
the provisions of the incorporated acts by the National Con- 
gress for the government of the Northwest Territory or for 
special privileges to build academies and seminaries in many 
parts of the state. 

Education was a favorite theme with all our legislatures 
and always commanded attention in both houses of our Gen- 
■eral Assembly. 



PIONEER HISTORY OF INDIANA. 459 

The following- description of the schools, school-houses, 
and the school teachers is probabl}- as nearl)- correct as could 
be given at this later period. The incidents connected with 
this chapter were gathered from the personal experience of 
the author and from incidents which he well knows to be 
true. 

The first schools taught in Indiana Territor)- from 1805 
up to 1815 were ver}- primitive. The countrj- was sparsel)' 
settled, in fact in onl}' a few places were there an)' people. 
A half dozen settlers located two or three miles apart were 
considered at that time quite a settlement. In that number 
of families there was usuall}' some one qualified to give in- 
struction to the children in the first principles of reading and 
spelling and sometimes could teach writing and the four sim- 
ple rudiments of arithmetic, addition, subtraction, multipli- 
cation and division. 

The first few j-ears of this period the teacher was em- 
plo)'ed to go to the houses and spend about one-third of the 
da}- with the family instructing the children. In this way 
with six families he could give three lessons each week to all 
the children. These circulating teachers as the}' were called 
did a good work. 

When it became less dangerous from the Indians and wild 
animals the children would congregate at the home of the 
family most centrally located in the neighborhood, in a lean- 
to built at the side or end of the pioneer cabin. 

Late in the twenties many neighborhoods became strong 
enough to support a subscription school of two or three 
months in the year. The patrons of the proposed school 
would meet at a site which had been selected if possible near 
a good spring of water and as convenient to all as possible, 
and build a school house. These first school houses were very 
simple and easily built structures and at this date would be a 
curiosity, but they were up to the times in which they were 
built. 

Round logs were cut and hauled to the site and a rectan- 
gular pen usually sixteen by eighteen feet and about eight 
feet high was raised and covered with four foot boards held in 



460 PIONEER HISTORY OF INDIANA. 

place by weight poles tied to the ridge poles with strong 
hickory withes. The only opening was the door and about 
two-thirds of the length of a log cut out of one end of the 
building for a window. Cross slats were put in that opening 
and greased paper was pasted on the slats. This kept out 
the wind and gave light to the room. 

A puncheon was hewed out as thin as needed to fit in the 
window opening. This puncheon rested on pins which were 
put into the log below the one cut out, and slanting, thus 
making a good rest to write on, but was usually covered with 
baskets and reticules in which the scholars had brought their 
dinners. This puncheon or shelf was made so that it could 
be fitted into the window opening and when pinned there 
nothing could get in at it. If the school ran into the late fall 
or winter months, the openings between the logs were chinked 
with the hearts of the board cuts and then daubed with clay 
mortar. 

In the other end of the room a very large fireplace was 
made. In building the house, when the wall at that end was 
about five feet high a log was put across about three feet 
from the end wall and short logs were put from this log to 
the end wall and carried on up to the comb of the house. 
These short logs were about eight feet apart, making the 
throat of the chimney, which was drawn in as it was raised 
higher, so that at the top it was about four feet. Along the 
end wall under the opening made for the chimney, a back 
wall of clay was made up about four feet high, then the 
cracks in the chimney and wall were chinked and daubed. 
For a floor, sometimes split puncheons were used, but oftener 
it was made out of mother earth. 

The dirt was put inside the room until it was up to the 
middle of the first side logs that lay on the ground. The 
dirt was pounded with a mall until it was well packed. For 
the last two or three inches, clay was made into a thick mor- 
tar, then put over the floor and evenly smoothed down. This 
soon dried and made a good, substantial floor. For seats, a 
log ten or twelve inches through at the top end and about 
twelve feet long was split in the middle and the split sides. 



PIONEER HISTORY OF INDIANA. 461 

were hewn so as to take the splinters off. Then two aug:er 
holes were bored at each end on the round side of the slab 
and solid hickor}- pins for legs were driven into the holes, 
thus making a substantial bench. 

I can 3'et remember that some of the hewing- to take the 
splinters from the top of these benches was not perfectly 
done, as the seat of man}' a bo3's pantaloons gave unmistak- 
able evidence. The door shutter was made out of split pieces 
of white oak fastened on hinge buttons. 

The teachers were often men of families that had im- 
proved the opportunity- for an education in the older settled 
sections before coming to the wilderness of Indiana. Some 
were )-oung men. The teacher, unless he had a home in the 
neighborhood, would board around among the scholars, stay- 
ing a week at a time at one place. 

The subscription school was the only kind then taught. 
Each family would subscribe as many scholars as the}' 
thought they could send during the three months that the 
school was in session. The time that each scholar attended 
was kept, as some families, having subscribed two scholars, 
would, part of the time, send three. If, at the end of the 
term, they had sent more than they had subscribed, the extra 
time was paid for. 

The usual price per scholar, if the teacher boarded 
around among his patrons, was one dollar and seventy-five 
cents a term. If the teacher boarded himself, he got two 
dollars and fifty cents. 

The school teachers of that early period deserve more 
than a passing notice. Many who write about the pioneer 
schools and their teachers, indulge in unwarranted criticism, 
asserting they were unqualified and cruel monsters. No 
doubt, there were exceptional cases, but as a class, these old 
teachers were a blessing to that generation, and they did the 
best they could with the very limited advantages it was pos- 
sible for them to have. They left their impress on the chil- 
dren of the early pioneer who transmitted life to a generation 
now passing away which has done so much for the betterment 
•of the country in which they have lived and for the advance- 



462 PIONEER HISTORY OF INDIANA. 

ment in every way of the g-eneration they leave in charge. 

The first several years after schools were taught irt 
school houses, books were very scarce, high-priced and hard 
to get. In many cases where there were several members of 
the same family who went to school, some of them did not 
know their letters, others were commencing to spell in one 
and two syllables, and still others were farther advanced. 
The parents would take Webster's spelling book and, cutting 
the leaves out of the first part of it, paste the letters on a 
board made for that purpose and the words of one and two 
syllables on another board for the younger members of the 
family, and then give the balance of the book to those further 
advanced. In this way many children were taught the first 
principles of an education. 

Many sorts of books were used for readers — the New 
Testament, the Bible, the Eng-lish Reader (the hardest to 
read of allj, Grimshaw's History of England, Flint's Natural 
History, and Emma Willard's History of the United States. 

When any of the scholars were far enough advanced and 
the teacher could teach it, Kirkham's grammar was used. 
Smiley's Arithmetic was used, but the complicated rules in 
that work were very hard for a beginner in that science. 

Lessons in penmanship were given by the teacher setting" 
a copy at the head of a sheet of fools-cap paper. For this 
purpose he used a goose quill pen, as they had no other. The 
ink then used was made from the ooze of different kinds of 
bark that in that day were used to color thread and cloth 
black. The ooze from the maple bark was the most used. 

In that day every scholar was in a class b}^ himself. If 
there were twenty-five scholars, there were twenty-five 
classes, from A, B, C, to those studying Kirkham's wonderful 
grammar. When one pupil had recited, the teacher called 
the next, and so on until the entire school had recited. It 
never seemed to dawn on the teacher's mind that he could 
group his pupils and that several could learn the same thing- 
at the same time and learn it better by being in a class and 
hearing each other's recitation. 

The spelling lesson in the latter part of the afternoon 



PIONEER HISTORY OF INDIANA. 465 

was engaged in by all the pupils who could spell. Sometimes 
they had a large and a small class. In stud3'ing the spelling 
lesson the scholars were permitted to "study aloud." At 
times when this lesson was being learned the noise was so 
great that nothing outside the school house could be heard. 

I here submit a contribution from a friend. With the ex- 
ception of the Christmas treat, the crazy teacher and the fam- 
ily quarrel, gives a very good description of the schools as 
they were in the early forties: 

"The door was usually on the south side of the building, 
so as to have the advantage of the sun's heat when the door 
was open, and that was most of the time, A very large fire- 
place was in one end of the house. There was a detail of 
pupils made each day by the teacher to cut and carry wood 
for the fire when it was cold weather. Wood was very plen- 
tiful near the school house. Those detailed were the larger 
boys, and they looked forward to this recreation with pleas- 
ure, glad of a little time awa}- from their arduous studies. 

"I will not attempt to describe the school house, but will 
give some details of the waj' the first two or three schools 
which I attended were conducted. They were all what was 
termed 'loud schools,' the scholars studying their lessons out 
loud, making a singing sound all over the house — so loud one 
could scarcely hear one's own voice, especially when it came 
time to prepare our spelling lessons. 

"One Christmas morning our teacher brought a jug of 
whisky, to which he added some eggs and sugar; he then 
shook it up and called it 'egg-nog." When noon came he 
made us a little speech and said that the egg-nog was his 
treat to us; that we must not drink too much of it and must 
be good children while he went home to take dinner with his 
wife and some invited friends. We were good, but we did 
not leave any of the egg-nog for the teacher and his friends 
who came to the school with him in the afternoon. 

"There were sometimes family feuds which grew out of 
some things that took place at school. I remember of two 
families meeting at a school house in front of the door when 
the school was in session and hearing one of the most terrible 



464 PIONEER HISTORY OF INDIANA. 

quarrels I ever heard. There were several members of each 
family and they all took part in the fight. 

"At another school house another boy and myself were 
sent for a bucket of water, which we had to carry from a 
creek a half-mile away. We overstayed the time the teacher 
allotted us, He was very angry and when we got back gave 
us a terrible whipping, raising welts on my back as large as 
my finger. I thought he was very cruel. The teacher was a 
seceder preacher, who was crazy at that time and afterwards 
became very violent, burning up several of the scholars' hats." 

Mrs. Nancy Gullick related to the author the following 
incident, showing the danger from wild animals: 

In the Major David Robb settlement near where the town 
of Hazelton now stands, they had built a school house not far 
from White river and school was being held there. One of 
the patrons of the school had started out hunting and gone 
by the school to see one of his boys at the time of noon re- 
cess. While there the hunter's dogs treed a young panther, 
not far from the school house. The children went out to see 
what the dog was barking at, and the hunter, on coming up, 
saw it was a panther kitten about one-third grown. He shot 
it out of the tree and told his boy to drag it near the school 
house and when school was out in the evening to take it 
home and save the hide. 

A short time after "books were taken up" the teacher 
and pupils were startled by the awful scream of the old 
mother panther, as she came bounding along the wa)" the 
3'Oung one had been dragged. They had forethought enough 
to close the door and put the window bench in place and 
fasten it there. The furious animal rushed up to the carcass 
or her kitten and when she found it was dead she broke forth 
in terrible screams and howls of lamentation. Looking 
around for something on which to avenge its death, she made 
a rush for the school house, ran two or three times around it 
and then leaped on top of and commenced tearing across 
the roof from side to side as if hunting some place where she 
could get in to the imprisoned teacher and scholars. After a 
while she gave three or four most terrible screams; presently 



PIONEER HISTORY OF INDIANA. 465 

the answering- screams of another panther were lieard some 
distance ofiF. It was but a short time until her mate came 
rushing- up and the two went to the dead kitten and seemed 
to be examining it. They then gave several screams, one 
after another, and made a rush for the building, bounded on 
top of it and for the next half hour kept up a screaming such 
as the helpless scholars and frig-htened teacher had never 
heard before. 

Major Robb had several men working for him at that 
time. They heard the fearful noise, and by the direction 
were sure that it came from near the school house. Three 
men took their rifles and hurried to the rescue. Several dogs 
had followed the men and the)' set up a loud barking and 
•lushed at the school house. A panther could easily kill 
the largest dog with one stroke of its terrible claws, but for 
some reason they are dreadfull}' afraid of a dog and could be 
easily treed by a small feiste. The panthers jumped to the 
ground and ran up a large tree which stood near the school 
house and were soon shot to death b)- the hunters. 

The teacher was a full-blooded Irishman, but a short 
time from Ireland. He had wandered out into the wilds of 
Indiana. Coming- into that neighborhood and learning that 
Major Robb was from Ireland, he had been staying at his 
house for some time. Having- the necessar}' qualifications, 
he was emplo3'ed to teach the school. After the panthers 
were killed he dismissed the school and went back to the 
Major's, but refused to teach any longer. He said he would 
not live in a country that was on the frontier of "hades" and 
was inhabited b}- such pesk)', screaming, screeching varmints 
as this country possessed. 

In 1825 a young man by the name of Joseph Breeding, 
from the city of Philadelphia, came to Indiana, hoping to re- 
gain his health. He had been rambling over the wild coun- 
try hunting and trapping for a livelihood. He made his 
home at Henry Hopkins' for a time. While there he was 
employed to teach school in the neighborhood two or three 
miles southwest of where Lynnville, in Warrick County, now 
stands. 



466 PIONEER HISTORY OF INDIANA. 

The school house was not quite finished when Breeding" 
commenced to teach. It had a puncheon floor. One night 
an old bear and two )'Oung- cubs were hunting around the 
house for scraps of food left b}^ the school children. The 
little bears got under the house and in hunting around 
smelled some meat scraps which had been thrown down by 
the children in the house. One of the cubs pushed a 
puncheon up far enough to get inside, when the puncheon 
fell back into its place, thus imprisoning the' cub. The next 
morning when Breeding came near the school house he heard 
a noise in the building. Slipping up, he could see the little 
bear through a crack. About that time he discovered the old 
mother bear coming for him in a hurry, and he had onlj' time 
to climb a small tree a little way from the house. Fortun- 
ately the tree was too small for the bear to climb. The 
teacher kept a good lookout for the children, and when he 
could see or hear any of them he would call to them, telling 
them of the danger. Finall}^ one of the large scholars came 
with his gun and killed the old bear. The cub in the house 
was killed, as was its mate. 

At the county seats, towns, and wherever the countr}" 
was more thicklj^ settled, there were usuall}' better schools 
than those I have described, but as a rule I have given a true 
description of them as the}' were. 

I feel warranted in asserting that our schools have kept 
well to the forefront as our state has made rapid marches to 
its present greatness. From these primitive schools have 
come some of the greatest men this nation has produced. 

From the organization of the Territorial Legislature up 
to 1850 every assembly had a message from the Governor ask- 
ing that the interest of the people should be well looked after 
and ample provision made for the education of the children. 
B}' the wise provision of the ordinance of 1787 and the laws 
passed afterwards by the Territorial and State Legislature, 
the foundation for our large and ever-increasing school fund. 
The common school fund in 1825 consisted of 680,207 acres of 
land, estimated at two dollars per acre, making $1,360,414.00. 

There are always those to be found who are against any 



PIONEER HISTORY OF INDIANA. 467 

public policy, and this was true when free schools were first 
advocated b}- our law-makers. When it was submitted to a 
vote in 1852 whether we should hafe free schools or not, 
there was a strong: minorit}- opposed to it. They had many 
objections to its becoming: a law. One was that it would 
largely increase the taxes to keep up the schools, and another 
was that it imposed a heavy burden on persons who had used 
economy and had accumulated property to pay taxes to edu- 
cate the children of those who were poor, in many cases by 
their own vicious habits and a want of industry. Those ob- 
jecting- lost sijfht of the g-reat blessing which would come to 
all the people by having an opportunity to educate the rising 
generation. Fortunately, the majority of Indiana's voters 
were not so narrowly constructed, and the law that placed 
Indiana in the front rank in educational matters was passed. 

Notwithstanding the interest manifested by our law- 
makers, education in most sections of the state in 1850 was at 
a low standard. The schools were all subscription or private 
ones. 

After the free school system came into operation in 
April, 1853, by the election of trustees for each township, 
which committe;d into their charge the educational interests 
of their respective township, the trustees had to organize 
school districts and then to provide houses to teach in. 

In many townships in Indiana there was not a single 
house of any sort to teach in. Most of the houses used were 
found to be old, dilapidated buildings that a farmer of this 
date would not house his sheep in. It took a good while to 
make all these necessary arrangements, but after a while 
things began to run smoothly and the townships were toler- 
ably well provided with school houses. 

Another serious difficulty was the lack of efficient school 
teachers. This want was cured by a new law authorizing the 
appointment of deputy superintendents in each county to ex- 
amine applicants for license to teach; the deputies by lower- 
ing the standard were enabled to secure teachers for most of 
the schools. The Legislature in 1S53 enacted a law that 
made a standard of qualification and authorized the county 



468 PIONEER HISTORY OF INDIANA. 

commissioners to license teachers, that all schools might be 
supplied with a teacher, for fear there might not be a suf- 
ficiency of properly qualified teachers. 

County commissioners were authorized to give temporary 
licenses to those taking charge of schools that did not require 
a high grade of teaching. It would seem a reasonable con- 
clusion that all parents would be glad to avail themselves of 
the opportunity of giving their children an education, since 
it was free, but such was not the case then any more than it 
is now. 

In 1854 our common school fund was $2,460,600. This 
amount has been increased from many sources, until now we 
have a magnificent fund of more than ten million dollars and 
an average school year of six months. All can be educated, 
if they will, and be sufficiently advanced, free of charge, to 
enter any college. 



CHAPTER XIX. 



The Noble Act of Returning Soldiers of the Battle of 
Tippecanoe — Aaron Burr's Conspiracy and the Mis- 
•FORTUNES Attending It — Difficulty of Procuring 
Salt and Desperate Battle with Two Bears — Inci- 
dents OF Burr's Conspiracy — Governor Jennings' Tem- 
perance Lecture — Battle Between Two Bears and 
Two Panthers — Panthers Killing Indians — A Her- 
mit — Panthers Kill a Man and Boy — Early Days 
Near Petersburg, Indiana — Panthers Killing One 
and Desperately Wounding Another Man of a Sur- 
veying Party — Wild Hogs — Shooting Matches — 
Early Days in Dubois County, Indiana — Killing of 
Eight Indians — Hunting — Early Days Near Sprin- 
klksburg, Now Newburg, Warrick County, Indiana — 
A Young Woman Killed by Panthers — Hunting 
Wolves — Hunting Deer — An Amusing Incident of 
AN Irishman and the Hornet's Nest. 



As hunting was the only means of obtaining- a liveli- 
hood, for there was no monej' to pay for anj'thing that was 
to sell and nothing to barter but the venison hams, skins and 
furs, these were exchanged for a few indispensable articles 
such as powder, lead, flints and salt, that were bought at a 
trading post far awa)'. 

Later on when more people were here and there was less 
danger from the Indians, this produce was bought up in 
large quantities and carried to market at New Orleans in 
flatboats, where it was sold for Spanish coin. When these 
traders returned, probably six or eight months after starting, 
they would pay out the coin for the produce they had bought 



470 PIONEER HISTORY OF INDIANA. 

on credit, thus enabling all who were industrious to have 
some of the mone}' coming- to them. 

The hunters would kill many deer, salt their hams and 
smoke them, thus having them ready when the time came for 
the produce men to again receive them. They also saved the 
deer hides, bear skins, and nearly every night went hunt- 
ing for coons and other fur-bearing animals. By the time 
the dealers in produce were ready to load their boats, they 
would find an immense quantity of produce that had been se- 
cured by the chase to load their boats at many points; some- 
times two or three boats would be laden down. On the return 
of these produce merchants, they would pay out a large 
amount of money to their creditors. Many men in each 
neighborhood would have money to enter forty acres of land; 
others would have half enough and would commence to pre- 
pare produce for the next winter. The greater portion of all 
the land entered in the settled sections of Indiana from 1815 
to 1835 was paid for by money that came from the chase. 

After the bear became less numerous, farmers commenced 
to raise hogs and fatten them on the abundant mast which 
"was everywhere. 

The}' would make the pork into bacon or sell it to be salted 
the boats in bulk by the produce dealers. After the people in 
commenced to raise hogs, for several years they had to keep 
them in close pens at night, as if they were allowed to run at 
will they would nearly all be killed by bears. The price they 
received for a hundred pounds of pork was one dollar and 
fifty cents, net. 

When the game in the older sections became thinned out, 
the men would organize themselves into a part)^ of eight or 
ten, go to some place where it was known there was an 
abundance of game and make themselves a faced camp, and 
have a man to take care of it and cook for the party. Then 
they commenced in a systematic wa}^ to hunt over the sur- 
rounding country. Before these men would break camp they 
would kill several hundred deer and probabl)' fifteen or twenty 
bears. 

Captain Spier Spencer's company at the battle of Tippe- 



PIONEER HISTORY OF INDIANA. 471 

canoe was in the thick of the fijrht. The Captain and a num- 
ber of the men were killed and wounded. Among the num- 
ber was a man named Davis, who had moved from one of the 
older states onl}- a few weeks before the call was made for 
volunteers. Leaving? his famil}- in one of the settlements, he 
enlisted and was killed at the battle of Tippecanoe. 

After the remnant of the company gfot home, those who 
were neighbors of the widow of their dead comrade held a 
meeting- and resolved to assist her. They therefore organized 
a hunting party and sold the results of their hunt for enough 
to enter forty acres of land, and as they entered land for 
themselves, kept the widow provided for until her sons were 
old enough to take their part in the chase and in clearing up 
the farm. 

AARON burr's CONSPIRACY AND THE MISFORTUNE ATTENDING IT. 

In the fall of 1806 a conspiracy was discovered, in which 
Colonel Aaron Burr was the chief actor, for revolutionizing 
the territory west of the Alleghany mountains and the estab- 
lishment of an independent empire, with New Orleans for its 
capital and himself for its chief ruler. 

To this end (it having been contemplated for some time) 
all the skillful cunning of which Burr possessed so much, was 
directed. If this project should fail, he planned the conquest 
of Mexico and the establishment of an empire there. The 
third project was the settlement of the Washita country 
which Baron Bastrop claimed. This last was to serve as a 
pretext for Burr's preparation and allurement, for his mis- 
guided followers really wished to secure land for homes. If 
he should be defeated in his first two projects, he could claim 
the last as his real object. He and his agents influenced man}' of 
the restless and dissatisfied elements which were then on the 
borders of the settled portions of the United States andjof those 
who were always hunting for adventure, to join his force. Col. 
Burr, by assuring many well meaning, loyal persons that he 
had the secret influence of the Government back of Jhim, in- 
duced them to leave their homes and follow his standard. 

Not alone was Herman Blennerhassett (who {possessed 



472 PIONEER HISTORY OF INDIANA. 

himself of a beautiful island in the upper Ohio on which he 
had builded a palatial home and surrounded himself with all 
comforts, conveniences and adornments which money could 
purchase at that day), ruined by listening to the seductive 
and fascinating- address of that arch traitor and the Paradise 
with which he and his beautiful and accomplished wife had 
surrounded themselves was turned into a very hell and they 
fugitives from justice, but hundreds of others were influenced 
to forsake good homes and follow after this traitor, all of 
them becoming fugitives, hunted down by ofl&cers of the Gov- 
ernment. 

These people, while floating down the Ohio in boats, 
learning that they were being hunted as traitors to their 
country and that the lower Ohio was patrolled by soldiers to 
apprehend them, left their boats and scattered over the 
wilderness of southern Indiana. William Henry Harrison, 
then Governor, had these injured people hunted up and as- 
sured them that they were in no danger of arrest, but that 
they must prepare forts, into which they could repair when in 
danger from the Indians. 

In many portions of southern Indiana these refugees 
formed the first nucleus around which early settlements were 
made. They raised families, improved the country, and ever 
since have added their full portion to the prosperit)' of the 
state. 

There was a family of five pereons connected with the 
Burr expedition who located in what is now Perry County, 
Indiana, five or six miles north of Flint Island, in 1806., It 
consisted of two large boys, a grown daughter, the mother 
and father. Through the misrepresentations of Aaron Burr 
and his aides, these people had been induced to leave a good 
home in Virginia and go on the ill-fated expedition with the 
assurance that great wealth and fame would accrue to them 
for their portion of the gains. These people had come down 
the Ohio in a boat. When they arrived at Louisville, Ky., 
they learned that Burr and his followers were being hunted 
by the Government as traitors to their country. They 
floated on down the Ohio until they came to the mouth of Oil 



PIONEER HISTORY OF INDIANA. 473 

creek, then ran as far up the creek as they could and sunk 
their boat. Then takinjj their plunder, the)' went some dis- 
tance farther into the wilderness, where the)' selected a place 
which suited their fancy and built their cabins, with a brave 
determination to start the battle of life over again. Joseph 
Bowers, who was the head of this family, and his eldest son, 
James, hunted most of their time, killing- much game. They 
had located at a point which was some distance from any of 
the traveled traces which the Indians used, and began to feel 
hopeful they would have no trouble from them. 

On one oi their hunting excursions the two men had lo- 
cated a patch of hazel brush which was covered over with a 
thick matting of grape vines loaded with very fine large 
grapes. The daughter and younger brother accompanied the 
two hunters, intending to gather the fruit, and in the evening 
when the hunters returned they would carry it home. They 
had not been long gathering grapes before they saw a large 
animal slipping through the brush, coming towards them. 
The young boy, sixteen years old, had armed himself with an 
Indian tomahawk. They tried to slip away in the direction 
of their homes, but got only a short distance when they heard 
the awful scream of the vicious animal as it came bounding 
after them. Mary Bowers had heard that a panther would 
not attack a human as long as they faced it and kept their 
eyes on the panther's eyes. This she attempted to do, at the 
same time walking backwards, with the animal slowly follow- 
ing her, patting its tail on the ground at each step. In her 
excitement she was not cautious of her steps and was tripped 
by a vine, when the vicious animal bounded onto her pros- 
trate body and tore her into pieces with its terrible claws. 
The young boy rushed at the beast with his tomahawk and 
sank the blade into its head, but was unable to pull it out of 
its skull. The panther caught both of his arms with his 
fore claws and in its dying agony tore the flesh from his legs 
with its hind claws. Mr. Bowers and his son were a mile 
away when they heard the scream of the panther. They ran 
as fast as they could to the point the children had been left, 
where they found Mary dead and the arms of Joseph still in 



474 PIONEER HISTORY OF INDIANA. 

the clutches of the dead panther, and it was man}^ months 
before he was able to walk again. 

DIFFICULTY IN PROCURING SALT AND A DESPERATE BATTLE 

WITH BEARS. 

The earl}' settlers in Indiana from 1800 up to 1820 experi- 
enced great difticult)^ in procuring- a sufficiency of salt for 
their culinar}' purposes and to save their meats. It was high- 
priced and hard to get, usually selling for twelve to twenty 
cents a pound in skin currency or backwoods currency, which 
was all they had to pay with. 

A good late fall or early winter bear skin was worth fifty 
cents, a deer skin twenty cents, and a coon skin from fifteen 
to twenty cents, in salt. They often made these skins up in 
packs of seventy-five to a hundred pounds and would carry 
them from twent3'-five to thirty miles to find a sale for them. 

They made large meat troughs out of poplar trees. The 
meat was placed in the trough and salted. After all the salt 
had gone into the meat that was required, the rest would 
melt and become brine in the bottom of the trough. After 
the meat was hung to smoke, every portion of the surplus salt 
was saved to use again. 

Captain Alfred Miler, of Grandview, Spencer count}^ 
during the war of the sixties, related to me some earl}^ experi- 
ences of his people. He said the greatest difficult}^ they had 
to contend with was to have salt for their food. They had 
several boys in the familj" and they would time about getting 
all the bear, deer and coon skins ready and going to Louis- 
ville — sometimes to Vincennes — and selling them for salt. 
Sometimes it was too dangerous, on account of Indians, to go 
to either place, and the}^ would have to resort to many ex- 
pedients to have salt for their fresh meat. 

There was a large deer lick not far from their home. 
The)^ would gather a large amount of saline dirt from the 
lick, put in an old-fashioned ash hopper, put water on the 
dirt and after, it had leached through the dirt the salt)^ water 
was caught in a trough at the bottom of the hopper. Often a 
vquantity of hickory ashes would be put in with the dirt. In 



PIONEER HISTORY OF INDIANA. 475 

this way the substance, after it was boiled down, would be- 
come ver}' strong- and penetrating. 

When there was less danger from the Indians, the people 
who lived in the southwestern part of the state would go to 
the saline section of southern Illinois and make salt, but not 
until after the war of 1812 was over was it safe to make such 
venture unless in large parties. 

In the early winter the turkeys were very fat. Manj' 
persons would kill them in large numbers, clean them and 
split them in halves and salt in a trough. When they were 
sufficiently salted the)' were taken out, washed clean and 
hung up and cured with smoke. 

At such times as the hunters were busy the turkey 
would be cooked with bear bacon, and was rich, wholesome 
food. For several years after there were no buffaloes in the 
older section of the state they were seen on prairie lands of 
northwestern Indiana. Up to 1825 buffalo were found feed- 
ing on the rich prairie g-rasses bordering on the Kankakee 
swamps. The deer were never so plentiful in that section of 
the state as they were in the countr)- where the timber and 
underbrush grew. The prairie wolves were in such numbers 
in the open country that most of the young fawns were killed 
by them before they could run fast enough to keep out of the 
way. The black bear was at home in all parts of the state. 
The last that were killed in Indiana, in numbers, were near 
where the city of Hammond is now located. 

At a point not far from English lake two 3'oung men, 
named John Miller and Jean Vought (in the employ of 
Alexis Coquillard, the manager of John Jacob Astor's fur 
company in the country about the Great Lakes), had a camp 
and had spent several months at the place. One evening- in 
the latter part of March, 1832, as these hunters were round- 
ing out their very successful winter's hunt, they yet had a 
large tree which they intended to cut that was in a small 
strip of timber not far from their cabin and near the border 
of what is now Starke county, in which they thought a col- 
ony of raccoons made their home. They had laid their guns 
to one side and commenced to chop on the tree, when two 



476 PIONEER HISTORY OF INDIANA. 

large bears came rushing at them. They had no time to se- 
cure their guns before the bears were on them. They tried to 
defend themselves with their axes. At the first pass Miller's 
ax was knocked out of his hands and beyond his reach. Be- 
fore he could get away he was caught and came near having 
the life squeezed out of him by the vise-like hug the bear 
gave him. 

Vought had been more successful in his battle and had 
crippled his bear so that it was disabled. He ran to Miller's- 
aid and stuck the blade of an axe into the bear's head, when 
it fell dead, but carried Miller with it, still holding the death- 
like grip on him, and he could not be released until Vought 
had chopped off one of the bears' arms. Miller was carried 
back to their cabin and it was many weeks before he could 
travel. They found that the tree, instead of being the home 
of coons, had two large openings in it, one above the other, 
and the two bears had occupied it for winter quarters, and 
probably the first time they had been down during the winter 
was the evening of the battle. The tree was cut down and 
two small cubs were found. Miller and Vought were old 
trappers and were well acquainted with the people in the 
neighborhood of the White river, as they trapped for years on 
that river and its tributaries before going north. In the fall 
of 1812 they had a camp about one mile east of White Oak 
Spring, now Petersburg, Pike Count)% and had traps set at 
many places. 

Late one evening, while engaged in setting some traps 
above and between the forks of White river, they heard the 
chattering of squirrels some distance to the east, which con- 
tinued to come closer. Soon the squirrels, but a short dis- 
tance away, set up a terrible chattering. The hunters, think- 
ing it was a bear or a panther that was causing the excite- 
ment among the squirrels, placed themselves in hiding to see 
what was coming. Soon two Indians came out on the bank 
of the river, one of them on horseback. 

The hunters, knowing the Indians were not there for any 
good purpose, held a whispered council and determined to 
kill them. Miller killed the one on foot. Vought's gun 



PIONEER HISTORY OF INDIANA. 477 

flashed in the pan and his Indian turned his horse and ran 
away. 

The dead Indian had a scalp in a leather pouch hanging 
to his girdle; the hair of a beautiful light color, which, un- 
wound, was over four feet in length. The)- also found a 
notched stick on him that had several peculiar engravings on 
it as well as notches, which a friendl}' Indian afterwards told 
them meant that he had killed six white persons and four In- 
dian enemies. 

AN INCIDENT OF AARON BURR's CONSPIRACY. 

The Indian that Miller killed was very fantastically 
dressed and carried a heavy silver-mounted rifle which had a 
large silver plate on the side of the breech with this engrav- 
ing on it: 

"This rifle is presented to James Jones as a 
small token of my great appreciation of his brav- 
ery and for personally risking his life to save mine 
in a battle with the Indians north of the Ohio 
river. Louisville, Kentucky, December 12, 1805. 

John Caldwell." 
The night after the killing of the Indian at the forks of 
White river. Miller and Vought were in Hargrove's camp 
showing their trophies. Sergeant Bailey, who was in camp 
not far from White Oak Springs with Colonel Hargrove, 
looked at the gun and became greatly excited. When shown 
the scalp above referred to, his grief was almost heart- 
breaking, exclaiming: "Mary, Mar}', my beautiful twin sis- 
ter, how I loved you — and when I think of the awful, cruel 
fate which befell you, it is almost more than I can bear." 

Afterwards Bailey, relating this strange story, said 
James Jones was a brave, fearless soldier, and had been in 
many engagements with the Indians. In the one referred to 
by the plate on the rifle, the Indians had cut Jones and Cald- 
well off from the main army while they were dressing a deer. 
In the running battle that followed Caldwell's leg was broken 
by a ball and he could retreat no farther. Jones carried him 
to a secure position between two large logs and they both 
used the logs for a breastwork. In this way they killed sev- 
eral Indians and held the others in check until a troop of 



478 PIONEER HISTORY OF INDIANA. 

their company, hearing- the firing-, came to their relief. In 
In 1805 Jones was married to his twin sister, Mary, a beauti- 
ful woman with a most wonderful suit of light hair, so long 
that when let down it would veil her person to within a few 
inches of the floor. An agent of Aaron Burr's had come 
to their peaceful home on the Monongahela river and per- 
suaded tfiem to go with the ill-fated expedition. In 1806 
President Jefferson issued a proclamation against many per- 
sons who had attached themselves to Burr's chimerical con- 
spiracy and they fled in many directions. Jones, Bailey and 
others from that section started down the Monongahela and 
into the Ohio river. 

They had gone one hundred miles west of the falls of the 
Ohio, when their boat struck a snag and was sunk, settling- 
in deep water. The occupants were landed by the aid of a 
canoe on the Indiana side about forty miles west of the mouth 
of Blue river, They went back north into the country about 
fifteen miles, where they built their cabin. The cabin was 
about ten miles east of the old Indian trace running north 
from Yellow Banks, Rockport, Spencer County, Indiana, to 
White river. After staying there during the winter of 
1806-07, Jones and Bailey's sister determined to go back by 
the Ohio river to Louisville, Kentucky, where they hoped to- 
make them a home. Bailey, a few days before they were to 
start, went to another band of these refugees where two 
hunting companions of his were living. He and his two 
friends were on the first hunting trip when they were found 
by Captain Hargrove's scouts and went with him to Vin- 
cennes and enlisted in the United States array. Bailey re- 
mained in the service until after the battle of Tippecanoe. 
Bailey sent several letters to Louisville, but never received 
any answer to them, and this was the first time that he had 
any idea of what became of Jones and his sister. The two 
hunters offered to give the gun and scalp to Bailey, The 
scalp he accepted as a precious gift, but said that Miller 
should keep the gun and he wished he were able to give him 
a thousand times its value for killing the hated savage who 
murdered his sister. 



PIONEER HISTORY OF INDIANA. 479- 

GOVERNOR JENNINGS AND TO.M OGLESBY. 

Governor Jenning-s used to tell a stor}' of his earl}- elec- 
tioneering- days in which he said that panthers were g^ood 
temperance lecturers. Once while he was traveling over the 
thinly settled hills of Dearborn county electioneering for 
congress, he met a man he was well acquainted with, Tom 
Oglesby, who was just getting over a protracted drunk. Jen- 
nings was up to his work and commenced to electioneer with 
Tom for his vote. The half sober fellow looked at him and 
said — "Jen, don't you think that a man just out of a panther 
fight and getting sobered up for the first time in twelve 
months ought to be electioneered in a more royal style than 
this? I am just from the grave. I was awakened a little 
while ago by a panther putting leaves and grass over me. It 
kept this up until I was entirely covered. I lay still for a 
while and then raised up and found the panther gone. I 
knew I >A^as not safe there so I took my gun and climbed into 
a tree to see what the panther intended to do. In a short 
time I heard her coming and she had her kittens with her. 
Every few steps she would jump as is catching something- 
and the little ones would go through the same maneuvers. 
She was teaching them how to attack their prey. She kept 
this up until she got near to the bed of leaves that I had 
been covered with. She made a spring on the pile and then 
looked just as I felt when I found I was covered up for dead. 
She made a mewing noise and the little panthers scampered 
back the way they had come. She then started in to investi- 
gate the cause of m}' disappearance and before she located 
me I shot her." Jennings after hearing this said: "Well, 
Tom, I do believe I should treat you as one from the dead, 
and since, Tom, we were school boys together in old Pennsyl- 
vania and you are a finished civil engineer and ver}' well ed- 
ucated, if you will quit drinking I will see that you have a 
good place on the surveying corps" Tom Oglesby did (juit 
drinking, Jennings was elected and put his old school mate 
in a good place in the engineerig department and he became 
one of the greatest engineers in the United States. 



480 PIONEER HISTORY OF INDIANA. 

P\NTHERS, BEARS AND A DEER IN BATTLE. 

In the fall of 1823 David Johnson shot a large deer with 
a heav}' pair of many pointed horns and had followed on its 
trail for some distance, hoping- to get another shot. The 
deer was not dangerously wounded, but just enough to put it 
in good fighting humor. 

He had followed the deer for some time over the hills in 
Washington township, Gibson County. The deer had left 
many signs of its anger by tearing small bushes and saplings 
to pieces with its horns in the route that he had traveled. 
Coming to the top of a hill, Johnson heard a loud noise down 
in the hollow at the foot of the hill that sounded as if many 
angry animals were in a terrible combat. 

Slipping up so he could see what was making such a 
racket, when within about eighty yards he could see several 
animals in a regular free-for-all fight. Two black bears (one 
of them a verj' large one), two panthers, and a little to one 
side, his wounded buck. The two bears were standing on 
their hind feet, dealing blows with their arms, right and 
left, when the panthers would get in reach of them. The 
panthers were much more active than the bears, but were 
careful to keep out of reach of the bears' arms. Every little 
while they would jump clear over the bears, as if trying to 
attack them at their back, but Mr. Bruin would turn around 
as if on a pivot. The deer was standing some little distance 
away looking at the combatants as if he would like to take 
part in the fray, but there was so much of it he did not know 
how to commence. In one of the rushes made by the 
panthers, in jumping over the bear, one of them attempted 
to land on the buck's back, but the deer was too quick for it 
and it fell on the sharp points of the deer's horns, and was 
evidently injured in the tussle which followed. After the 
panther got off the horns it ran up a tree which stood near. 

Mr. Johnson said the fight was so furious and the noise 
so terrible that he never was so thoroughh^ scared in his life 
before, and did not know what to do. There were so many 
animals that he could not kill all of them. He was at a loss 
as to what was the best plan to pursue, but as soon as the 



PIONEER HISTORY OF INDIANA. 481 

panther run up the tree he determined to shoot it. It fell to the 
ground, not dead, but so disabled that it could not stand on 
its feet, but tore the ground and growled and snarled. The 
other animals did not seem to hear the shot. If the}- did, 
the.v paid no attention to it, but kept up the fight. The other 
panther would ever}- little while spring over the bears, high 
above their heads. The deer didn't seem to pa}- any attention 
to the bears, but followed the movements and kept his horns 
between his bod}- and the panther. The panther, in avoiding 
a blow aimed at his head by the smaller bear, got in reach of 
the big one and received a blow that sent it ten feet awa)\ It 
was more careful to keep out of reach after this and soon 
climbed up a tree for thirt}' feet and lay stretched out on a 
large limb. Johnson made up his mind that it was more 
dangerous than all three of the others and shot at it. Instead 
of falling, it jumped twent}' or thirt)' feet into a thick clump 
of brush and ran off. The bear and deer stood their ground 
as if uncertain what to do, but before Johnson could load his 
gun again they all ran off down the hollow. 

He found that the cause of the trouble was that the 
panthers had killed a small deer, and no doubt the bears com- 
ing up at this time determined to take it away from them. 

After killing the wounded panther, he then went to 
where the other had alighted when it jumped out of the tree 
and found a little blood, but thought the animal was not seri- 
ously hurt. He said he could have killed the deer or either 
of the bears, but was afraid to leave the panthers, as they 
would have attacked him. 

A WOUNDED DEEK HORNING OXENS AND A HORSE. 

Following is a little story showing the fury of a wounded 
buck: Major John Sprinkels, who settled Sprinklesburg (now 
Newburg), was out hunting and wounded a large five point 
buck and had been following it for some time. Finally the 
deer came to a cornfield, jumped the fence and was passing 
through it when it came to an ox team hitched to a wagon 
with an old North Carolina schooner bed on it. Three men 
were with the wagon gathering corn. The first they knew 



482 PIONEER HISTORY OF INDIANA. 

of the deer the oxen commenced to run. They found the 
deer was goring one of the oxen with its sharp horns. In 
running, the wagon became fast on a stump. The men ran, 
to the oxen, thinking to scare the deer away, but it attacked 
them and seriously hurt one of the men, who saved his life by 
rolling under the wagon. The other two got up into the 
schooner bed. The deer, after tr)nng to get at the man un- 
der the wagon, went around and attacked the other ox, 
goring it fearfully. Major Sprinkles, hearing the bellowing 
of the oxen and the halooing of the men, went to find out 
what was the matter and succeeded in killng the deer. 

In 1827 Andrew McFaddin, of Posey County, went hunt- 
ing on horseback. There was a heavy wet snow on the 
ground and he found that his horse balled so badly he had to 
leave it, and after securely t3nng it, he went on hunting. 

He shot a large buck, severely wounding it, but it ran 
away. McFaddin followed it for several miles. The deer 
commenced to circle around and come back to the neighbor- 
hood where it had been wounded. After nearing the place 
where he had hitched his horse, he heard the horse making a 
terrible noise as if in distress. Thinking that a panther had 
attacked his horse, he ran in that direction and found the 
deer goring it with its sharp horns. McFaddin killed the 
deer, but found that his horse wes ruined. 

PANTHERS KILLING INDIANS. 

While three young men from Kentucky, southwest of 
Louisville, were traveling over the old trace from Clarkesville 
to Vincennes in 1800, where they intended to enlist in the 
army, they reached a place in the neighborhood of where 
French Lick Springs is now located and were ambushed and 
attacked b}' seven Indians, two of the young men being killed 
at the first fire. The other one, named George Davis, was 
grazed by a ball along his temple and fell to the ground. He 
was up quickly and attempted to run to cover, but ran into 
the hands of the Indians and was captured. They took him 
with them, going in the direction of the head waters of the 
White river, and reached a country where there were many 
Indians and Indian towns. 



PIONEER HISTORY OF INDIANA. 483 

One nig-ht as they were b'ing in camp asleep, young- 
Davis managed to slip his arms out of the buckskin thongs 
with which they were tied. Waiting until he felt sure they 
were all asleep, he selected his own gun which was standing 
with others against a tree near the tire and slipped away. 

He started east, feeling sure that the Indians would go 
southwest on their back trail to hunt for him. The moon 
was very bright and he made good use of his time before 
daylight. 

About daylight he found a leaning tree lodged against 
another very large tree which had a hole in it just above 
where the leaning tree lodged. Going up the leaning one, he 
found the hole large enough for him to hide in. It no doubt 
was the winter home of a bear. 

Resting and sleeping all that day, as soon as night came 
on he was down. Shaping his course so as to have the North 
star at his back, he traveled all night. Being very hungry, 
he fortunately found a large fat opossum, killed it and carried 
it with him. 

Just before day he found a cliff which had a shallow cave 
running back twenty feet from the entrance. Securing wood, 
he went into the cavern. He was at his wits' ends how to 
get any fire, as he had only the one charge of powder, which 
was in his gun. He was a backwoodsman and knew a good 
deal of their craft. Securing two sound, dry sticks, he com- 
menced to rub them together until he brought fire from one 
of them. Preparing his opossum, he baked it to a nicety and 
ate it with a relish without salt or condiments. 

As soon as night had come again he started and had 
been traveling two or three hours, when he heard a slight 
noise behind him as of some small animal running. Stepping 
out of his course a short distance and into a clump of bushes, 
he stopped to see the cause of this. He had been in his place 
only a few moments when he discovered three Indians follow- 
ing his trail. They passed, missing his track, and were run- 
ning around trying to find it, when a most terrible scream 
was heard from one of them. 

Two panthers were in a tree, and the Indians getting un- 



484 PIONEER HISTORY OF INDIANA. 

der them, the animals pounced onto them, knocking- two of 
them down and terribly lacerating them. The third Indian 
killed one of the panthers, when a shot from the other side 
killed the Indian, and in a short time another shot from the 
same direction killed the other panther. 

In a short time a man with long white hair and beard 
and dressed in skins came to where the combat had taken 
place, calling to Davis, whom he had seen slipping into hid- 
ing, to come out. 

The combat had taken place near a large deer-lick and 
the panthers had been in the tree waiting for some unfortun- 
ate deer. The old man was there for the same purpose and 
did not know that the panthers were in the tree. He had 
seen Davis when he stopped and saw him slip into the clump 
of bushes and saw the Indians coming on his trail. By this 
he felt sure that he was a white man. 

The Indians' guns and other things of value were taken. 
Young Davis was supplied with ammunition, hunting knife 
and tomahawk. The Indians lacerated b)" the panthers soon 
bled to death. They were dragged to a deep place in a 
nearby hollow or branch and put into it. Brush was piled 
over them. 

The old man told Davis to follow him and he would have 
something prepared for him to eat, and after they had gone 
for about a mile the old man told him to sit down and rest, as 
they were in no further danger from the Indians. In an hour 
he returned with plent}' of dried venison and fresh bear's 
meat, which was broiled. After eating all they wanted, the)^ 
prepared a camp and stayed there for two da3's. During this 
period the old man was gone several times for an hour at a 
time. He would not talk of himself or of what he was doing 
there. Their camp was near a ver}- large spring of g-ushing 
water not far from the Blue river (no doubt the large spring 
a few miles west of Corydon, Ind.) 

After preparing plenty of provisions for the trip, Davis 
bade his benefactor good-bye and started for the mouth of the 
Blue river, as directed by the old patriarch, and finally got 
back to Kentuckv. 



PIONEER HISTORY OF INDIANA. 485 

DeLome, in his interesting' narrative of his capture and 
his life among the Indians, relates the killing of the two men 
on the old trace and the capture of Davis. He sa)'s he was 
adopted into the familj- of an Indian, and that one of the 
men who went back for Davis was his adopted brother. 
He saj's the four Indians reached home, but that the three 
who went after Davis were never heard of afterward. He 
tells of the old patriarch having a home in a cave not far 
from the big spring; that no one knew who he was, where he 
came from or what became of him; but it was believed, from 
the little information obtained b}' Davis, that he was a po- 
litical exile from some foreign country and that he had gone 
into seclusion in the wilds of Harrison Count}', Indiana. 

EARLY DAYS NEAR PETERSBURG, INDIANA. 

In 1807 or '08, James Gurne)' left Jefferson Count)", Ken- 
tuck)', and came to Indiana Territory. He had a wife and 
two children. They put all their possessions in a larg-e bag- 
made of hemp or flax and fastened it to the back of the horse. 
The mother and smaller child rode on its back — the father, 
with his gun, keeping a lookout for Indians. The older boy, 
twelve years old, led the horse. 

Crossing the river at Louisville, they started west on the 
old Indian trace, which was a regular traveled way from 
Louisville to Vincennes, most of the way being- a good road. 
When they had traveled some thirty miles they found the 
road was patroled by rangers under young John Tipton. He 
furnished an escort as far as his boundary reached, only a 
little west of the Blue river. They were compelled to remain 
at that point until the rangers on the western division should 
come on their regular trip, which was only a day or two. 
The men on the western division were commanded by Captain 
\Vm. Hargrove. The Gurney family accompanied them on 
their return trip to White Oak Springs, where Woolsey Pride 
had a fort. They were instructed by W. H. Harrison to re- 
main in a blockhouse built inside the heavy stockade Pride 
had built around his fort, until late in the fall. He could 
then build a house after the Indian raids were over. 



486 PIONEER HISTORY OF INDIANA. 

Gurne)" was of a restless, roving- disposition, and had but 
little regard for Governor Harrison's orders. He would not 
follow the advice of the old hunters at the fort, but left, sa}-- 
ing- that he was g^oing- back to the mud holes, which were 
near where Portersville, in Dubois County, was afterward lo- 
cated, and they heard nothing- more of him for some time. 

The winter had gone and warm weather had come again. 
One day a woman, carrying a small bundle and a little girl, 
were found by the two McDonalds — John and William — who 
were early settlers in the mud-hole region. They had been 
wandering around in the woods. The}' took them to their 
home. These two persons were Mrs. Gurney and her little 
daughter. She said that the fall before, with her husband 
and two children, she had left the White Oak Springs fort 
and had gone in a southeasterly direction ten or fifteen miles, 
when they came upon a place which suited their fanc)'. Here 
they built a little cabin and spent the winter in comfort. 
There was all sorts of game in abundance, and with hickory 
and beech nuts and white oak acorns, of which they made 
pones and baked, the}- managed- to live in comfort and were 
in perfect health. With the coming of spring they com- 
menced to prepare a small patch for corn and vegetables and 
had a little field brushed off. The horse was kept at night in 
a pen covered over with bark and brush. During the day he 
ran out and fed as he could from the range. One morning, 
along the first of May, Mr. Gurney had started out with his rifle 
to kill a turke}', and had not gone more than a hundred )'ards 
when his wife heard him calling aloud. His wife ran in the 
direction he had gone, and when she got within sight of his 
body, which was lying in the edge of the clearing, she saw a 
large panther spring onto a limb of a tree which stood near 
him. She did not know what to do, and thinking that the 
horse would scare the animal awa}-, the)' led the horse out of 
the stable and turned him loose, driving him toward the place 
where the body of Mr. Gurne}- lay. When the horse saw the 
bod)' it became scared and ran near the tree the panther was 
in, whereupon the latter sprang from the tree to the horse's 
back and that was the last ever seen of the horse. 



PIONEER HISTORY OF INDIANA. 487 

They buried Mr. Gurney near the cabin and after this 
they had a very hard time. They could not do anything- 
with the corn patch, as the horse was tJfone, but they could 
kill game, as the little boy and his mother could both use 
a gun. 

The spring from which they obtained their water was 
seventy or eighty yards from the cabin. The boy was carr}-- 
ing water from it early one morning- when he was killed by a 
panther. The mother, hearing his scream, took the gun and 
shot the animal as it was preparing to spring on her. She 
buried her boy and then determined to try to find her way 
back to the road and to Kentuck)'. She had been wandering- 
around over the woods for more than a week when found by 
the two men who had killed a bear. 

Mrs. Gurney went back to her people in Kentucky. This 
experience was told to me more than fifty j-ears ago by 
Elijah Malott, who lived in the same neig-hborhood as did 
Mrs. Gurney's people, and he often heard her tell of her 
awful experience. He said he had been preparing to come to 
southern Indiana to the neighborhood of White Oak Springs, 
but after hearing of the terrible experience above related, he 
had many misgivings. He said it was never known exactly 
where Mr. Gurney had made his cabin, but eight or ten years 
after he was killed some hunters found a small floorless cabin 
near where the White Sulphur Springs are now, near where 
Velpen, Pike County, Indiana, now stands. 

Elijah Malott moved to the neig-hborhood of Petersburg-, 
Indiana, in 1817. This same Mr. Malott in his younger days 
was very fond of playing pranks. One evening while hunt- 
ing he found a laige buck which had been killed the day 
before and was frozen hard. He dragged it up to a sapling, 
raised it up to a standing position and tied it there. That 
night he went to see his nearest neighbor, Mr. Jesse Alexan- 
der, and invited him to g-o hunting with him the next morn- 
ing. They started out and the route Mr. Alexander took 
brought him in plain view of the dead buck with the large 
pair of horns. In a short time Mr. Malott heard Alexander 
■commence shooting- and he took seven shots in all at the 



488 PIONEER HISTORY OP INDIANA. 

deer. After this he concluded to investigate and found that 
he had put seven balls into the deer. 

In 1850 one of Mr. Alexander's daughters was married. 
Before the wedding- something was said about a charivari. 
Mr. Alexander said, if they attempted it, his two big bulldogs 
would eat them up. The night of the wedding Hiram 
Malott. Resin Malott, Captain James E. Chappell and many 
others, carrying with them three dumb-bulls, as many hick- 
ory rattles and many noisy things, and beginning the most 
hideous noise ever heard, went three or four times around the 
house, when they were invited in. Mr. Alexander the next 
morning found his dogs a mile away, at Stanton Lamb's. 

PANTHERS KILLING ONE MAN AND SERIOUSLY WOUNDING AN- 
ANOTHER OF A SURVEYING PARTY. 

In 1805 the surveyors were doing some work in town one 
north, range nine west, in what is now Clay township, Pike 
County, Indiana, that had been left from the survey in the 
fall and winter of 1804 owing to water being in the way. 
The camp was located on section 18, town one north, range 9 
west, a little way from Harvey creek and near a pond or 
bayou that is now owned by Hon. Jasper N. Davidson. They 
had been in that section for several weeks. 

Two young men were camp-keepers, one of them keeping 
the camp supplied with game. Their names were George 
Tate and Thomas Shay and they had for some )"ears before 
this made their home in Clark's Grant, near Jeffersonville, 
Indiana. The surveying crew had come into camp at noon 
on Saturday so they could make their field notes and were not 
intending to go out again until the following Monday. 

The two young camp-keepers availed themselves of this 
opportunity to go to a bluff bank not far away and to en- 
deavor to kill a bear, which, they thought, had its den in the 
bluff. Just before reaching the den they saw two young ani- 
mals that were gamboling around over logs and running up an 
old stump six or eight feet high and jumping off. They were 
having a lively play and did not see the hunters, who got up 
as close as they could, and hiding behind trees, they watched 



PIONEER HISTORY OF INDIANA. 489 

their antics for some time. Slipping up still closer, the}- in- 
tended to scare the animals, to see them run, and so rushed at 
them, making a great noise. The old mother panther was 
l3'ing asleep only a little way from where the kittens were 
pla3'ing and-she at once rushed at the hunters, striking Shay 
down before he could use his gun and almost severed his head 
with her terrible claws. Tate, not knowing Shay was dead, 
would not shoot for fear of hitting him, as the panther was 
biting and scratching him. He rushed upon the animal and 
felled it with his gun and then one of the verj' bloodiest 
fights ever recorded of this nature took place. The panther, 
regaining her feet, rushed at Tate, who was trying to shoot, 
but found that the priming had fallen out of the pan of his 
flint-lock gun when he knocked the panther down. As she 
came at him he thrust the muzzle of the gun into her mouth 
and thus held her at bay for a little while. She tore the gun out 
of her mouth with her claws and again rushed at Tate. He 
clubbed his gun and broke one of her fore legs, but she caught 
one of his arms in her mouth and they both fell to the ground. 
The hunter as yet was but little hurt, and drawing his hunting 
knife, he plunged it in the panther's side time after time, but 
not before she had torn the flesh off his legs in a terrible 
manner with her hind claws. The men at the camp heard the 
noise that the panther made as she was rushing at the hunter, 
and three men, with two dogs, hurried in that direction. 
They had not gone far before the dogs set up a terrible bark- 
ing and a large panther sprang into a tree not far off. They 
shot it to death. Thomas Shay was quite dead and Tate 
was almost dead from loss of blood. The carcass of the 
panther that he had stabbed to death was lying on him and 
the two little kitten panthers were nestled down b}- the side 
of their dead mother. The panther the rescuing party had 
killed was not in the battle, but came in answer to the scream, 
of its mate. It had nearly covered the body of Shay with 
leaves, as is their habit when killing game. When they have 
eaten all they want, they cover the remainder until they are 
hungry again. 

They carried Tate to the camp and dressed his wounds as 



490 PIONEER HISTORY OF INDIANA. 

best the}' could, but it was several months before he was able 
to gfo about. 

Sha)- was buried near the place where he was killed and 
a history of his death was cut by the surve)'ors with their 
tools on a beech tree near his g-rave. The surve5^ors sent for 
David Johnson, who had been with them the year before, to 
hunt for their camp again. While there he had an adven- 
ture near where the old Indian road crosses White river. He 
had shot a small deer and dressed and prepared it so he could 
carry it shot-pouch fashion to the camp, when he heard a 
noise of something which was in a tree not far off. Bending 
down a sapling and cutting off a limb he hung his deer on it 
and when the sapling straightened up, it went out of the 
reach of any animal. Slipping up to the point where he 
heard the noise, he saw a bear cub which would weigh about 
one hundred pounds. He shot and broke its shoulder. It set 
up a terrible noise and in a moment out came the old bear 
from a tree all in a pile. She jumped up and ran to the cub 
and was trying to g-et it away by going off and expecting it 
to follow, but the little fellow could not walk and kept up 
the squealing noise. Johnson was trying to load his gun but 
in the hurry, as he was pulling his gun stick out, it went out 
of his hand and some distance to one side. In stepping- from 
behind the tree to get it, the old bear saw him and came at 
him full drive. There was a large tree standing but a little 
way from him. He ran to this and got behind it, intending 
to finish loading his gun but the bear was after him and he 
ran around that tree many times, the bear in close pursuit. 
The little bear commenced to make a very loud noise and the 
old bear ran to the place where it was, when Johnson finished 
loading his gun and shot the old bear. 

In 1854 when Mr. Johnson told me this story he said that 
sometime in the early twenties he, with a hunting party, had 
a camp near the place where the panther fight took place and 
that while the beech tree had been blown down. Shay's grave 
was yet to be seen. 

WILD HOGS. 

When it became so that the people could turn their hogs 



PIONEER HISTORY OF INDIANA. vn 

on the ran^e all the time, some of them would stray off and 
become so wild, they would run from a man. They were very 
prolific. A sow would usually raise two litters of from six to 
eig-ht pigs each year. In a short time the surrounding- wood 
was full of wild hogs. The pigs which were raised in the 
woods were as wild as other animals and equally as hard to 
domesticate. An old saying among the early people was, "A 
wild hog once, a wild hog- all the time." The country was 
covered over with a heavy growth of timber and a large por- 
tion of it was nut-bearing and acorn trees. In the more open 
or barren wood there were immense thickets of hazel bushes 
and on these bushes a large quantity of hazel nuts were pro- 
duced each year. In the fall and winter the ground was cov- 
ered with the different sorts of nuts and acorns. Not one- 
half of it could be eaten b}' the animals. All winter, except 
when there was a deep snow, there was an abundance of food 
for everj-thing that would eat mast. The hogs would at all 
times keep in good living order, and in the fall and winter 
would get very fat. The farmers in early times marked 
their stock by cutting their ears in many shapes, such as an 
upper bit in the right ear, and a crop off the left ear; an un- 
der bit in both ears, a crop and a split in the right ear, and 
so on. 

These marks were recorded in a book kept b}- the Count}' 
Recorder for such records. The law protected them against 
an infringement on these marks as much as the trade-marks 
of manufacturers are protected now. There was a sacred re- 
g-ard for the marks of each other's stock by the old settlers. 
Some of the sows that were marked would stray away and 
raise a litter of pigs and stay away with them. The owner 
and others would see them once in a while, and the range she 
staid in was noted by the hunters, and the hogs in that range 
of woods were called after the man who owned the marked 
sow. Nearly all the farmers would have some hogs which 
became wild, and their claim on the hogs that came from the 
marked sow was respected. 

The old hunter who first settled in this country regarded 
the meat of the bear as very much superior to that of the 



492 PIONEER HISTORY OF INDIANA. 

hog. It was more easil}' kept and required less salt and when 
made into bacon was regarded b}' him as superior to the best 
cornfed pork made into bacon. The oil of the bear was much 
richer, more penetrating and better flavored than hog- lard. 
The time soon came, however, when there were but few bears in 
the country, then the hog was brought into general use for 
bacon. When a tracking snow would fall, the farmer would 
take his bo)\s and some of his hunting companions and go to 
the range where his wild hogs ran, taking two or three good 
dogs with them who understood how to guard against the 
terrible tusks of the old male hogs. When the hogs were 
found, a regular battle was on, and all that would do for 
meat were killed. Sometimes the fights between the old 
male hogs and the men and dogs were terrible. There never 
was a more vicious animal on this continent than these old 
hogs. When once attacked, they fought to a finish. They 
had tusks which were often four inches long sticking out 
three inches on each side of their mouths and as sharp as a 
knife. With one stroke of their tusks they could kill a dog, 
cut. a man's legs half off or ruin a horse. Wild hogs have 
been known to give battle to a dozen wolves and put them to 
flight. One evening two hunters who had their homes in 
southern Davis County, not far from White river, had been 
out hunting and were returning to their homes loaded down 
with turkeys just a little while before sundown. They found 
themselves near a large thicket in which hazel bushes were 
the principal growth. They heard a pig commence to squeal 
not far from where they were and soon heard hogs making a 
terrible noise as if they were attacking some animal or were 
holding one at bay. The hunters, thinking it was a panther 
or wildcat which had caught the pig, slipped up, intending to 
shoot it, and they advanced as far as they felt it was safe to 
go. Owing to the thickness of the brush, they could not see 
what it was the hogs were fighting, but they could tell there 
was a desperate fight of some sort on. Not far to one side a 
dead tree had fallen and lodged in the fork of another tree» 
They climbed up the log to where it was ten or twelve feet 
from the ground and saw a large black bear backed up 



PIONEER HISTORY OF INDIANA. 4^3 

against a log. He was using both arms, boxing right and 
left, as he was being held at ba}- by twent)' or twenty-live 
hogs. The hunters said they had never seen such a furious 
fight and they watched it to a finish. There were several 
large male hogs with terrible tusks and they would charge in 
pairs, intending to tusk him in each side, but the bear was on 
the defensive and would knock them right and left. After a 
long fight the hogs changed their mode of attack and rushed 
at the bear four and five at a time. In this wa)' they soon 
got in their work. They literally tore the bear to pieces and 
were eating it up when the two hunters were glad to slip 
away without attracting attention. 

SHOOTING MATCHES. 

In an early day the rifle was indispensable. It was 
necessary to carry a gun ever)'where. The rifles were ver)' 
high-priced and it was often very difficult to secure them, and 
it was man}' )'ears after this countr}' commenced to settle be- 
fore any were manufactured in this territory. The guns with 
which the settlers drove the Indians away were made in Vir- 
ginia and North Carolina. Some were made in Kentucky. 
The rifle was natural!}- regarded as a princely treasure. 
They became very proficient in repairing their rifles. When 
they did not shoot correctly, they moved the sights until they 
w^ere correct. 

The men who in this day have high-priced guns and use 
them only a few weeks in the hunting season can form no 
idea how the old pioneer hunters regarded their guns, keep- 
ing them at all times in perfect order and ready for use at 
any moment. When in the cabins the guns were hung in a 
crotch over the door or on the side of a joist, with the point 
of a deer's horn for a rack. They did not have the percussion 
caps at that time to fire the powder, but had a gun flint which 
was fitted between two plates in the end of the hammer of the 
gun-lock and securely fastened there. When the trigger that 
threw the hammer was touched, the hammer or flint, in com- 
ing down, struck against an upright piece of hardened steel 
which was fastened to the lid of the pan which covered the 



494 PIONEEK HISTORY OF INDIANA. 

powder and threw the pan open. The sparks made by the 
flint coming in contact with the hardened steel fell in the 
powder which was in the pan, which was connected with the 
powder in the gun barrel through a touch hole, and fired the 
gun. In damp weather the powder in the pan would become 
a little damp and the gun would make long fire, as it was 
termed, so the old hunters became adepts at holding their 
guns very steady, always prepared for the long fire. 

The pioneers learned to shoot with great accuracy with 
these old flint-lock guns. Eight times out of ten they would 
shoot a panther's eye out sixty and eighty yards awa}^ 
When powder and lead became more plentiful the hunters 
would practice shooting at a mark, both with a rest which 
was lying down and resting the gun on a log or chunk or 
standing up and shooting off-hand. They made a target by 
taking a board and blackening a spot on it with wet powder;, 
then two marks were made with a knife that crossed each 
other in the black spot. Then taking a small piece of paper 
about two inches square, cutting a square out of the center 
about one-half inch in size, tacked it on the board so that the 
cross would be in the center of the small square. It was not 
considered a very difficult feat for a marksman to shoot the 
center out five times out of ten, sixt}' yards off-hand or one 
hundred with the rest. 

The rifle shooting was one of the main sources of amuse- 
ment that the old hunters had. Shooting matches were very 
common in all parts of settled Indiana up to the last of the 
forties. 

A shooting match was usually arranged for Saturday. 
Some one who owned a steer or heifer that was good beef 
would send out word that on a certain day there would be a 
shooting match at his place. Everyone who cared to, at- 
tended, and there was usually a large number in attendance. 
The beef was seen and valued at what was considered a fair 
price. If it were worth twelve dollars, it would be divided 
into one hundred and twenty chances at ten cents each. The 
men wanting to engage in the contest could take as many 
chances as they wanted, so long as it was not more than one- 



PIONEER HISTORY OF INDIANA. 495 

fifth of the whole number. When all had taken and paid for 
their chances, the next thing- to do was to select two men to 
act as judges who prepared the boards for targets and cut the 
name of each man who was to shoot on his board. Some 
times the chances would not all be taken — then the owner of 
the beef could take the remaining chances if there were not 
more than one-fifth of them and shoot out his chances, or he 
could select some one to shoot them out for him. Often some 
one who had chances of his own would be selected to shoot 
out the owner's chance. Some times when the owner had 
one-fifth of the chances and a good shot selected to shoot for 
him, the whole beef would be won. The judges had charge 
of the boards and they were placed against the tree that the 
lead was to lodge in, and when the chances had all been shot 
out. the judges took each board and made a correct record of 
the shooting in this manner: 

First — So many plumb-centers which were determined by 
holding two strings over each mark. In this way they could 
determine if the middle of the ball hit the center. Second — 
So many centers cut out. Third — So many centers lead, 
which meant that the ball jnst grazed the center, but did not 
cut it quite out. Then a record of the distance of the balls 
which did not hit the center was made by measurement. 
"When the records had been made up, the awards were made 
by first, second, third, fourth and fifth choices, which us- 
ually meant the hide tallow and lead which had been shot 
into the tree was the first choice; the second choice, one of 
the hind quarters; third choice, the other hind quarter; the 
fourth choice, one of the fore quarters; the fifth choice, the 
other fore quarter. If it were not too late in the day, the in- 
terested parties would butcher the beef, hanging up the meat 
to cool and the next morning send for it. 

This gathering of woodsmen was a day of recreation and 
pleasure, spent in talking over the old hunting experiences 
they had had together. There was always the most scrupu- 
lous exactness by all in determining distances and shooting- 
not to show a semblance of cheating. These men, though 



496 PIONEER HISTORY OF INDIANA. 

rough and uncouth in manner and dress, were the souls of 
honor. 

EARLY TIMES IN WHAT IS NOW DUBOIS COUNTY, INDIANA. 

John and William McDonald were the first permanent 
settlers in Dubois County, Indiana. They moved from 
Clark's Grant in 1802 and settled near what was then called 
the Mud Holes, where Portersville was afterwards located 
and became the first seat of justice for the county. The two 
McDonalds builded cabins and cleared each a small farm or 
field. During- the summer of 1804 the Indians became so 
threatening- they took their families back to Clark's Grant, 
now Jeffersonville, Indiana. The two men returned, and 
while one of them, with his gun, was secreted in a place 
where he could have a good view of the surroundings, watch- 
ing for the Indians, the brother cultivated their small fields. 
They had no feed for their horses, but turned them out at 
night to graze on the range, hunting them up in the morning 
to plow. 

In the last of the summer, one of their horses took the 
tires and died; the remaining one was still turned on the 
range at night. One morning they failed to hear the bell, 
when William McDonald started to hunt for the horse. Af- 
ter hunting for some time, he found the horse's track and 
found that it had gone in a southeasterly direction. Follow- 
ing along the track for several miles, the horse having gone 
in a straight course, McDonald decided some one had stolen 
the animal. He continued on the trail, coming near the big 
bend in the Patoka river a few miles west of where Knox- 
ville, Dubois County, now stands. When he got near the 
bank of the river he could see a smoke across the end of the 
bend. Creeping up through the underbrush he came in 
sight of a camp and saw three Indians moving around, and a 
little to one side his horse tied to a sapling. Secreting him- 
self in the thick brush, intending to watch awhile and see 
what the Indians were doing there, he had not long been in 
hiding when he heard the voice of a woman crying and 
pleading with some one not to kill her child. Getting in a 



PIONEER HISTORY OF INDIANA. 497 

position to see the camp ag-ain, he saw a burl}- Indian holding^ 
a little child two or three years old by the hair with one hand 
and a club drawn back in the other as if to strike it and mak- 
ing- pretended blows as if intending to kill the child, the poor 
mother all the time pleading- for its life. Another Indian 
came to them and said something- in the Indian tongue, when 
the little child was restored to its mother. There seemed to 
be several persons around a bark shed or camp, but McDonald 
did not dare expose himself so he could get a good view of 
them. He quietly slipped back the way he had come until he 
was out of sight of the smoke and then hurried back to his 
cabin. When he arrived there he found eight men eating 
their meal around a fire built a little way to one side of the 
cabin. McDonald hurriedly told his brother of his discovery. 
When the other men were informed of it they became greatly 
excited and asked William McDonald to pilot them to the 
place where he had seen the Indians. They started, taking 
the trail made by the horse and followed it to about one- 
fourth of a mile of the place at which McDonald had left 
them three hours before. It was then about one o'clock in the af- 
ternoon. They held a consultation, agreeing that McDonald 
should pilot them to a point as near the Indians as it was safe 
to go, if they were still there, which he did. The}- were still 
in camp and the horse was tied to the sapling. Several per- 
sons were seen, some of them walking around, others b'ing on 
the ground. 

The Kentuckians said there were seven Indians and that 
the leader or chief was very large, nearly twice the size of an 
ordinary man, and that they had two women and two chil- 
dren prisoners whom they had captured six days before about 
thirty miles south of the Ohio river, crossing the river at 
Yellow Banks, now Rockport, Indiana, and they had followed 
their trail about twenty-five miles north on the trace which 
led to the old Delaware town at the forks of White river. 
Two nights before they had traveled all night on that trace 
and had lost the trail of the Indians. They had been to 
White river and up and down it, but failed to find any trace 
of them. The Kentuckians held a final consultation and it 



498 PIONEKR HISTORY OF INDIANA. 

was agreed they would circle around the camp, which was 
near the bank of Patoka river, leaving- the men so there 
would be a space of about seventy-five yards between them. 
The leader. Captain John Enloe, when he should get into a 
position near the river on the opposite side of the camp so he- 
could keep the Indians from passing between him and the 
river, was to imitate the scream of a panther, which he could 
do to perfection. This would bring the Indians to their feet. 
Then they were to shoot at every Indian in sight. They were 
about a half an hour getting around the camp and slipping up to 
it before the terrible scream was heard. The Indians rushed 
for their guns and started to find the animal, when the rifles 
of the Kentuckians commenced to crack. There were four 
Indians in sight with guns. Three of them were killed and 
the fourth ran down the bank of the river, when 3'oung John 
Risley rushed up to the bank of the river to keep the Indian 
in sight until he could load his gun, but he was shot through 
the thigh and badly disabled. . Captain Enloe ran up and 
killed the Indian before he could get out of the water. After 
the battle was over the men cautiously advanced on the bark 
tepee. One of the white women came running to where the men 
were and told them that three Indians were in the bark hut;, 
that an Indian doctor was giving them a sweat bath; that the 
three-men were desperateh' wounded, but the doctor was un- 
hurt. The men surrounded the hut and tore it down. They 
found the Indian doctor dressed in the most outlandish ap- 
parel the}' had ever seen and the three wounded men, one of 
whom was the big chief. The woman said that two nights 
before they had camped in a rough place where there were 
many deep gorges and that during the night several panthers 
had attacked the part}' while they were asleep, terribly 
lacerating three of the men before they could beat them off. 
They had carried the three wounded Indians some distance to 
that place, made a camp and sent a runner for an Indian doc- 
tor, who had arrived that morning riding McDonald's horse. 
There were two brothers of the women prisoners in the res- 
cuing party and they were determined to kill the Indian doc- 
tor and wounded Indians, which they did. The eight dead 



PIONEER HISTORY OF INDIANA. 499 

Indians were thrown into a gulch that ran into the Patoka 
river and covered with rocks, logs and brush. The rescuing 
party then went back to McDonald's cabin and remained over 
night. Young Risley rode McDonald's horse and it was sev- 
eral months before he was able to walk again. During the 
night the shoe pacs of the women and the moccasins of the 
men were mended and put in good shape, and next morning 
they took their departure for their Kentucky homes. The 
two women were widows, living together, their husbands 
having been killed the year before in a battle with the In- 
dians. There was a young lady friend visiting the widows 
who was not in the house when the Indians came. She hid 
in a thicket until the Indians were gone, then hurried to the 
nearest neighborhood and gave the alarm. It was a day be- 
fore a sufficient number of men could be gotten together to 
follow so large a number of Indians. 

HUNTING WOLVES. 

The sneaking, snarling wolves were the most despised of 
all animals by the old hunters. They were treacherous and 
cowardly and never could be seen unless the)' were in such 
numbers as to have a decided advantage. They seldom at- 
tacked a larger animal than a deer or a calf, but when hun- 
gry, the}' would attack a cow and kill her. 

A farmer who lived on the head waters of Pigeon creek, 
in Warrick County, Indiana, turned his horse out to graze at 
night. The next morning he found the bones only a little 
way from his stable. 

Often when following a wounded deer the hunter would 
find a dozen wolves had cut in on the trail ahead of him. 
They were such a menace that the hunters induced the 
county commissioners to offer a reward for each scalp, big or 
little. This soon thinned them out and provided a source of 
revenue to the hunters. Manv of them would have ten or 
fifteen scalps at a time. Early in the forties Jacob W. Har- 
grove found a wolf den in the hollow of a large tree in west- 
ern Pike County near the Patoka river. There were six pup- 
pies in the den. He had watched several days for a chance 



500 PIONEER HISTORY OF INDIANA. 

to kill the old ones, but could never see them. He went to the 
bed one evening and marked the puppies' ears with his mark. 
That nig-ht the old wolves moved them and the next da}^ the 
two old ones were killed on Smith's Fork of Pigeon Creek, at 
least ten miles as the bird flies from their den on the Patoka 
river. They were killed b)- Jacob Skelton and his son John. 
They found the puppies, scalped them and took the eight 
scalps to Princeton, where they received eight dollars for 
them. Then the}' went to the Recorder's office, found the 
marks of Mr, Hargrove recorded, took out one dollar for their 
trouble and sent live dollars to him for the scalps of the six 
puppies which he had marked. 

David Bilderback and Peter Ferguson, who lived in 
Monroe township. Pike county, went to a wolf's den they 
knew of, intending to kill the puppies and get the reward 
then paid for them. Bilderback stationed himself beside a 
tree at the entrance of the den, to shoot an}- old wolves 
should they be attracted by the cries of their puppies. Fer- 
guson entered the den and began the work of killing the pup- 
pies and cutting off their ears. The old wolves came at him 
in a terrible fury, having heard the puppies' cries, but no shot 
was heard, and Ferguson barely escaped with his life. He 
rushed for his gun, standing against a tree, and saw Bilder- 
back up a sapling calling to the wolves, "Be gone! Be gone!" 
They drove the old wolves away without succeeding in kill- 
ing any of them. Ferguson finished scalping the puppies 
and received the reward. 

Along in the "forties" there was a class of hunters who 
took to the sporting side of the chase. In every neighbor- 
hood someone would own a pack of long-eared fox hounds. In 
hunting with them a large number of men and sometimes 
women, too, would follow the hounds, imitating the old 
English fox hunt. On the trail of the red and grey fox the 
dogs would continuously give vent to the old hound "balloo!" 
which could be heard for miles. Many of these hunts would 
take in a large territory. The dogs would run thirty or forty 
miles in a zig-zag direction across the countr}'. These dogs 
were used for coon-hunting in the night and the woods were 



PIONEER HISTORY OF INDIANA. 501 

in an uproar almost ever}' night. The dogs would often go 
out of their own accord and chase deer, foxes and other ani- 
mals for hours at a time. It was not long- after these dogs 
became common in this countr}- until the deer were all gone 
or nearl)' so. The incessant noise in the woods drove the 
deer back to the wilder sections of the country. The hounds 
thinned out the foxes, to the great advantage of those raising 
chickens and geese, which was a ver}' difficult proposition at 
that time. People did not house their chickens at night, as 
they do now, but let them roost on the fence, in the apple 
trees and other places, as they chose. 

At this time geese were raised. Nearly ever}' family in 
the country would have from twenty to fifty head, and unless 
they were penned up every night, the foxes and wildcats 
would carry them off. At that date they were very valuable 
property in several ways. Their feathers were in large de- 
mand and they yielded a large amount each year. Every six 
weeks they were ready for plucking, and many a woman car- 
ried black and blue marks on her arm from one plucking to 
the next, pinched there by the goose as he was being robbed 
of his downy coat. The feathers brought a good price at the 
trading places. In remote sections the peddlers carried their 
wares around in wagons and exchanged their goods for 
feathers. Many families purchased the greater portion of 
their needed supplies with them. Transition from the leaf, 
brush, straw and skin-covered couches to the soft featherbed, 
the most luxurious couch man ever lay on, was a great ad- 
vancement in the comforts of life. At an earlier date there 
were a great many of these people who resorted to many ex- 
pedients to have a better bed than was in general use, and in 
some cases they succeeded very well. 

Mrs. Nancy Davis, who lived to be more than a hundred 
years old and resided in Pike County, Indiana, tells how she 
obtained a good bed in the early days. After she moved to 
the section where she raised her large family, they had 
nothing but brush and skin beds. There were five boys in 
the family, who spent most of their time during the fall and 
winter in hunting, and each day, by agreement with their 



502 PIONEER HISTORY OF INDIANA. 

mother, would bring- home one or more turke)^s. The mother 
picked the fine feathers off and in a short time had several 
good beds for her family. In after years, when they could 
raise g-eese, she had as many as two hundred at a time, and 
with the money she received from the sale of the feathers, en- 
tered three forty-acre tracts of land. 

EARLY DAYS AROUND SPRINKLESBURG, NOW NEWBURG, INDIANA. 

Major John Sprinkles made the first settlement in south- 
western Warrick County in 1803. At that time there was a 
settlement at Redbanks, now Henderson, Kentucky, and a 
few people scattered along- the south bank of the Ohio river 
in Kentucky. A little above where the Major settled was a 
Sliawnee Indian town which was scattered for several miles 
up and back from the river. This band of Shawnees was un- 
der the control of Chief Seeteedown, who, for an Indian, was 
very well-to-do, having- large droves of horses and cattle. 
These Indians at that time were very peaceable with the few 
white persons who lived in that section. During- the year 
1807 two young- cousins of the Major's came down the Ohio 
river in a boat, intending to make a visit and then go on to 
the Illinois country. The two young men were there for 
some time with the Major, roaming through the woods. 
They had come from the old settled section of Pennsylvania 
and everything seemed new and strange to them. 

In the fall, when the deer were at their best and the bear 
fat upon the mast, the Major and his two kinsmen went a 
little way back from the river and made a camp, intending to 
have a week's hunting. They had been hunting two or three 
days when the two boys had an experience, the marks of 
which the)' carried to the end of their lives. They had been 
following a drove of deer for some time, when they came 
upon an old bear and two cubs eating acorns under a white 
oak tree. One of the boys shot one of the small bears, knock- 
ing it down. The old mother and the other little one ran off. 
It seemed that the little bear was only stunned and was not 
fatally injured and was soon up, staggering around. The 
young men ran up to it, intending to finish it with their 



PIONEER HISTORY OF INDIANA. 503 

hunting' knives. The}- laid their g-uns down, but had not 
quite reached the place where the 3'oung- bear was until the 
•old mother came at them savagely. 

The}' attempted to get their guns, but before they suc- 
ceeded, the old bear knocked one of them down. The other 
g-ot his g"un, but it was empt}-, and rushing at the bear that 
was lighting- his brother, he struck it on the head with the 
g-un barrel. The bear knocked the gun out of his hands with 
such force that it broke his arm. The other brother, though 
badly wounded, got his gun and attempted to shoot the bear 
in the head as it was biting his brother, but his aim was so 
bad that he only slightly wounded it, and it then turned on 
him and knocked him down, biting- his legs in a fearful man- 
ner. The boy with the broken arm stabbed the bear many 
times with his hunting- knife and finall}' hurt it fatall}'. It 
started, however, to follow its two cubs, but had gone only 
about a hundred yards when it laid down and died. The 
young men were found by the Major and taken to camp and 
then to his cabin, where they were for several months before 
they were able to be out. This experience satisfied them and 
cured their roving- dispositions and they returned to their 
Pennsylvania homes. 

In 1812 the Indians were very bad and everybody had to 
live in forts. The one which was in the neighborhood where 
Major Sprinkles lived had a number of families in it, consisting- 
of the Hayes, L5'nns, Sprinkles, Alexanders, Darbys, Frames, 
Wests and Roberts — in all, more than thirty-five persons. It 
was not regarded as safe for any to live outside of the forts 
-during that year from the first of June to the last of No- 
vember. 

There was a young g-irl who lived with one of these 
families who was expecting- a sister from central Tennessee. 
She was ver}- uneasy about her, fearing- she had been cap- 
tured by the Indians. Late one evening-, just before dusk, a 
whining, piteous cry was heard, which did not seem like the 
scream of the panther, as it was continuous. This girl 
heard the noise and declared it was the cry of her sister, and 
nothing could stop her from going- out to it. Before the men 



504 PIONEER HISTORY OF INDIANA. 

in the fort realized her intentions, she was running in the di- 
rection of the noise. Three of the men got their rifles and 
hurried after her. The}' were uncertain what it was, think- 
ing it might be the ruse of the Indians trying to imitate the 
crj' of a woman or child to draw some of the people into an 
ambush. The men had gone nearly a quarter of a mile 
when they heard the most terrible scream of a panther 
mingled with the outcry of the unfortunate girl. Hurrying 
as fast as they could, when they located the scream, they 
were very cautious in their advance. Coming to an open 
space, they saw several animals which were biting and 
scratching at the body of the girl they had killed. The men 
killed the old panther and two of the 3'oung ones that she, no 
doubt, was trying to teach to scream, which was the cause of 
the peculiar noise they heard. After she had killed the girl, 
she was teaching the )'Oung ones how to attack their prey, 
and she would bound onto the prostrate form and bite and 
scratch it. The kittens would go through the same motions, 
and thus had torn her to pieces. 

In 1816 Major Sprinkles laid out the town of Sprinkles- 
burg, which is now known as Newburg, Warrick County, 
Indiana. 

HUNTING DEER. 

The deer were so plentiful that they were to be seen 
every little distance in passing through the forest, sometimes 
in large droves. The reason they were not exterminated 
sooner by the hunters in the rush to secure their hams and 
hides, as were the buffaloes on the open plains of the north- 
west, was that the greater portion of Indiana was a dense 
wilderness, having many thickets of underbrush so dense 
that they could safely hide in them. There was great skill in 
hunting them. Some would kill three deer to his neighbor's 
one, who hunted equally as faithfully. 

Early in the twenties Andrew McGregory moved to the 
neighborhood of what is now Somerville, Indiana. The next 
year the two oldest boys, George and John, put in all their 
time hunting. That winter they sold enough venison hams 
to come to $75.00. The hams at that time were worth only 



PIONEER HISTORY OF INDIANA. 505 

twentj'-five cents a pair. The}' entered fort}- acres of land 
and had enough to purchase their ammunition, salt and other 
indispensable supplies for the family. 

The next year George, the oldest son, killed deer, caught 
coons and paid for eighty acres of land, for which he was 
nicknamed "George, the Deer Killer." The father of these 
boys was from Ireland, coming to this country after he was 
sixt}' )'ears old. The old gentleman could never become used 
to the many strange things he found on every hand. 

After his son John had a family, the father, who lived to 
be nearly a hundred years old, made his home there. He was 
a ver}* industrious man and wanted to be at work all the time. 
When there was nothing else to do he would wander through 
the surrounding forest looking at the many strange things so 
different from his old home in the north of Ireland. In his 
wanderings one day he saw a hornets' nest hanging to the 
under side of an elm limb some twenty feet from the ground. 
The old man thought it was a jug and made up his mind 
that he would have it. Relating the experience himself, he 
said: "Now, just look there — see what strange kind of peo- 
ple we have in this country, go and hang a jug way up in a 
tree. Maybe it has a nip of the creature in it; I will see." 
Pulling off his shoes, he climbed the tree like a scjuirrel, and 
when he got out on the limb over the nest and was reaching 
under to get the jug, the hornets swarmed out and stung him 
fearfully. The old man let all holds go and fell to the 
ground, which came near killing him. Dinner time came 
and the old man had not yet returned. His son, becoming 
uneas}' at his absence, started out to find him. After a long 
hunt he found him near where he had fallen, sitting against 
a log with his shoes off and badly battered. His son, on 
coming up, said, "Father, what in the world is the matter?'* 
The father said, "John, this is a fine country. Just see that 
fine jug hanging up there! John, I saw it and I thought it 
such a pretty jug and that it might have a wee drop in it, I 
climbed up to get it, and while reaching under the limb I 
pulled the cork out and a lot of nasty little varmints bit me 
all over my hands and face and knocked me off the limb. 



506 PIONEER HISTORY OF INDIANA. 

Here, John, is your old dad, all battered and bruised. Just 
think what a mean country this is — some joking- fellow to 
play such an impish trick on a poor old Irishman!" 

All hunters at this time had dogs, usually of the cur 
breed. When on hunting trips the dogs would go with their 
masters and were used to slow-track the game, but never 
made any outcry and would only go as fast as the hunter when 
slow-tracking. In this way they we're very useful, and often, 
in a bear fight, indispensable. 

About eighty years ago a man named Grigsby was re- 
turning from a hunt to his home in the northeast part of 
Spencer County. The pigeons were settling on their roosts on 
the low scrubby ridge oak timber, the acorns of which was 
their food. As he was passing along he heard, a little way 
off, pigeons, rising and flying and the timber crashing, their 
weight causing large limbs to break off, and sometimes tree 
tops. As Grigsby got nearer the noise, he heard the whining 
cry of some animal. Going quietly up, he saw an old bear 
and a cub which seemed to be trying to move a heavy limb 
that had fallen. He shot at the bear, but only hit her in the 
top of the shoulder, not disabling her. Before he could re- 
load, she came rushing at him. His dog caug-ht the bear by 
the hind leg, but only stopped her for a moment, and then 
she came at the hunter with all the fury that a wounded bear 
could. The hunter clubbed his gun and there was a battle 
royal for some time, the dog doing- his best to help his master 
in the fight. 

Finally the bear knocked the dog down and attempted to 
catch him by ihe throat with her mouth, when the hunter 
thrust his hunting knife into her heart. 

Jacob Zenor, an early settler in Harrison County, went to 
watch a lick for a deer in the early part of the night, leaving 
his two large cur dogs at home. Selecting a location in a thick 
cluster of saplings a short distance from a bushy beech tree, 
he took his stand to watch. He had been there but a short 
time when a panther sprang from the place where it was 
watching the lick in the beech, intending to light on the 
hunter, but the saplings were so thick that its body was 



PIONEER HISTORY OF INDIANA. 507 

stopped before reaching- the hunter. At that instant his two 
dog-s came up, having followed his tracks. They rushed at 
the panther, which sprang back into the beech tree, and was 
killed by Mr. Zenor. Had it not been for his two faithful 
<iogrs, the hunter would have been torn to pieces. 



CHAPTER XX. 



FLAT-BOATING. 



After produce of any amount was raised in this country 
it was sold to produce merchants, who took it to New Orleans 
on fiat-boats. 

To make one of these boats was quite an undertaking. 
The first thing- to do was to procure two gunwales. They 
were usually made out of large poplar trees and were from 
sixty to eighty feet in length. A fine large, straight tree 
was selected, and after it was cut down, two faces of it were 
hewn, leaving it about twenty-four inches thick. Then it 
was turned down on large logs and split in halves, hewn 
down to from twelve to fifteen inches in thickness, thus making 
both the gunwales out of one tree. The two ends were 
sloped from six to eight feet, so that when the bottom was 
on, it had a boat shape, that would run much faster in the 
water. The gunwales were then hauled to the boatyard and 
placed on rollers. The distance apart which was wanted for 
the width of the boat was usually from fourteen to sixteen 
feet. Strong sills or girders were framed into the gunwales 
every eight or ten feet and securely fastened there by strong 
pins. Small girders or sleepers, to receive the bottom of the 
boat, were pinned into the cross sills or girders every eighteen 
inches and even with the bottom of the gunwales. The bot- 
tom was made of one and a half inch lumber, the length to 
reach from outside to outside of the gunwales, where it was 
securely nailed and then calked. The old Indiana flat-boat 
builders used hemp for calking, driving it into the cracks be- 
tween the edges of the planks with a calking chisel made for 
the purpose. When this was done, another bottom of inch 



PIONEER HISTORY OF INDIANA. 509 

lumber was made over this that held the calking: in place and 
made the bottom strong-er. When the bottom was finished, 
it was ready for launching-. This was done b)- having large 
auger holes in the round logs the bottom rested on and turn- 
ing them with handspikes. The ground was alwa)'s sloping 
toward the river and it did not require much turning until the 
logs would roll down the slope and carr}' the boat into the 
water. The boat, having been made bottom-upward, had to 
be turned. A large amount of mud and dirt was piled on the 
edge of the bottom, which was intended to sink it. Then a 
check lirie was fastened to the farthest edge and near the 
middle the line was carried over a large limb or the fork of a 
tree and two or three yoke of oxen hitched to it. When 
everything was ready, the boat was turned right side up. It 
was then full of water, w^iich had to be baled out. The up- 
per framework for the body of the boat was made very se- 
curely and well braced and the siding was nailed on. Strong 
joists were put on top of the framework from side to side to 
hold the decking. A center girder ran lengthwise of the 
boat and this rested on a post every six or eight feet. This 
girder was a little higher than the outer walls, so that the 
water would run off the deck. A strong post was fastened in 
a framework made on the false bottom which came up 
through the decking about three feet near each end of the 
boat. Holes were bored in these check posts, so that it could 
be turned around with long wooden spikes. The check rope 
was securely fastened to these posts and one end of it was 
carried to the bank and fastened. By using the spikes the 
check post would take up the slack and the boat could be se- 
curely landed as near the bank as wanted. There were three 
long oars, the steering oar had a wide blade on the end and 
was fastened to a post near the back of the boat. This oar 
was used as a rudder in guiding the direction of the boat. 
The other two oars were used as sweeps to propel the boat 
and to pull her out of eddies. This crudely fashioned boat 
would carry a large amount of produce. The pork was us- 
ually packed in the boat in bulk; flour, wheat and corn were 
stored on raised floors so as to keep them dry. On small 



510 PIONEER HISTORY OF INDIANA. 

rivers when the water was at floodtide, two hundred thou- 
sand pounds of pork, one thousand bushels of corn and many 
other articles of produce would be carried. 

The pioneers made their location where there was plenty 
of good spring- water, but at a later date the)' had two ob- 
jects in selecting their homes: First, to be near a mill or a 
place where there was a good mill-site; second, to be not far 
from a river where a flat-boat could be loaded with produce. 
The money paid for the produce to load the boats brought 
great prosperity to the country, On the lower Mississippi, 
where the great sugar plantations were, there was a great 
demand for this provision. A boat would tie to the bank 
near one of these immense plantations and would sell the 
owner a half boat-load of meat, corn and flour. 

It took one of these boats a month to run out of the 
Wabash down to New Orleans. They would sell their load of 
produce and then sell the boat. These old boatmen were a 
ioll}^ generous, light-hearted set of men, and would often 
lash their boats together and float for several days and nights 
in that way on the lower Mississippi. 

This description does not apply to the Pittsburg flat-boat 
men or those from the upper Ohio, running coal barges down, 
the river. These were, in many instances, a lot of despera- 
does. 



CHAPTER XXI, 



General Joseph Lane — A Short Biography — Letters. 



General Lane contributed his full share to the military 
glory which has been won by Indiana soldiers. He was born 
in North Carolina in 1801 and removed with his father to 
Henderson, Kentucky, when he was six years old. Here he 
remained for several years, helping- his father. In 1818 he, 
with his father, moved to Vanderburg- County, Indiana. 
They settled on a farm up the Ohio river not far from the 
town of Newburg-. Young Joseph was hired by Judge Glass 
to take charge of a store for him at Rockport, Indiana. He 
was a very popular young man and made friends with every 
one. He had a very kind, genial disposition, and understood 
the rules of business very well for that day. After remaining 
there for a while he purchased a keel-boat and cut cordwood, 
which he loaded into the boat and sold to steamboats. The 
passing boat would take his keel-boat in tow and haul it up 
or down the river until all the wood that was wanted was 
taken off and then the boat was cast loose and rowed to 
where he wanted it anchored. 

He engaged extensively in farming, stock raising and 
stock buying. His produce he sold in lower Mississippi and in 
New Orleans, carrying it there by flat-boats, of which he ran 
a great many out of the Ohio river. He carried on farming 
and stock dealing until the Mexican war. He, with others, 
raised the Second Indiana Regiment. The regiment was 
placed in a division commanded by General Zachary Taylor 
and went with that division to Mexico and was there engaged 
in several battles of the Mexican war. 

For gallantry and meritorious conduct he was made a 



512 PIONEER HISTORY OF INDIANA. 

brig-adier-g-eneral. After the war he was appointed Governor 
of Oreg-on. From that state he was elected United States 
Senator. He was also a candidate for the Vice-Presidency on 
the Breckinridge ticket in 1860. He died at Roseburg, Ore- 
gon, in 1881. 

Three letters are here introduced from General Lane 
which will be of interest, it is thought: 

RosEBURG, Oregon, 

May 15, 1878. 
Col. W. M. Cockrum, 

Oakland Cit}', Ind. 

Dear Sir: I don't remember of ever having- 
seen you. as you must have been a very small boy 
the last of the thirties and up to 1842, the last time 
I visited your father at his Eastern Gibson County 
home. 

After the war with Mexico I was never in 
Indiana except short periods at a time. As I read 
the Indiana papers, I know of you and that you 
won an honorable title in the war of 1861 and '65. 
Your father and I were friends — yes, real chums. 
I recall so man}- thing's of his life and worth that 
it affords me real pleasure to thus bear testimony 
to his noble manhood and integrity. Many times 
we have run side by side with our flat-boats lashed 
together, in the lower Mississippi, for days at a 
time, having a real, old-fashioned social visit. We 
were not of the same political faith, but I don't 
know that politics were ever mentioned when we 
were together. I was on the boat at the time you 
ask about. The cause of the contention was about 
a bill due the boat for freight from New Orleans 
for the Davis plantation. As I now recall, it was 
owned by two brothers, Joseph and the Honorable 
Jefferson Davis. The man who caused all the 
trouble was a hot-headed manager of the planta- 
tion for the Davis brothers. 

There was a wood-yard on the plantation and 
your father's boat, the Otsego, had taken on wood, 
and when the bill was presented the clerk for pa)'- 
ment, the freight bill was given in part pa3'ment. 
This manager was a very important fellow. He 
raved like a maniac, saying that it was an insult to 



PIONEER HISTORY OF INDIANA. 513 

thus force collection for anj- of their bills and he 
intended to see that the boat did not loose her 
cable or raise her stag-e until the bill was paid in 
full and the}' would pay the freig-ht bill at their 
pleasure. 

About this time jour father, who was captain 
of the boat, ordered the mate to loose the cable and 
raise the stage. The fool manager was rushing- up 
and down along the side of the boat and on the 
stag-e with a Daring-er pistol in his hand, ordering 
his wood-)'ard slaves not to allow the men to loose 
the cable. The Colonel came running- down to the 
lower deck with a monstrous gun in his hand, 
and leveling it at the threatening- fellow, ordered 
him to put up his weapon and leave the gangway, 
which, after looking- into that g-un, he concluded to 
do. All the history of myself that would be of 
importance to the g-eneral public is easily secured 
by you and you can use such of it as will be in line 
with your work. The other questions )'Ou asked 
about, I will answer in the near future. 

Very truly j'ours, 

Joseph Lane. 

RosEBURG, Oregon, 

June 21, 1878. 
Col. W. M. Cockrum, 

Oakland City, Ind. 

Dear Sir: The first time I was ever on the 
site of where the city of Evansville now stands, 
was in 1815. Col. Hug-h McGary lived there in 
what was called a faced camp. Soon after this he 
built a hewed log- house, which was a very g-ood 
one for that day. The Colonel was a very gen- 
erous man and his latch-string hung on the outside 
at all times for everybod}'. 

I spent hours going over with him what he 
was pleased to call a fine town-site. At that time 
the evidence of there having been a large Indian 
town at that place was very plain. The ground on 
which the tepees stood was plainly marked. At 
Sprinklesburg, now known as Newburg, there had 
been another Indian town. The Shawnee Indians, 
who were under Chief Seeteedown, had a scattering 
town farther up the river. The western end was 



514 PIONEER HISTORY OF INDIANA, 

just above the Newcome coal mines and there were 
wigwams over a considerable territory up and back 
from the river. 

There was no cause, except treacher}', which 
all Indians were full of. for the Shawnee Indians 
murdering Althea Meeks. He was a very harm- 
less man. It was alwa3"s believed b}' those in a po- 
sition to know that the murder was done by a few 
discontented members of that band, aiming to re- 
move all trace of that family. At the time Chief 
Seeteedown heard of the murder he had a large 
herd of cattle and horses on the range about where 
Boonville now stands, which were all left in their 
hurry to get awa}'. 

A runner was sent up the river to a keel-boat 
crew for help and they volunteered to a man. 
Baile}' Anderson organized a posse and Ratcliffe 
Boone was put in command of both detachments. 
The Indians were encumbered with their women 
and children and could not make the speed the 
well-mounted soldiers could, and it was generall}' 
believed that but few of them ever lived to cross 
White river. There was always an undertalk 
that Boone did a good deed and the country was 
well rid of the lazy vagrants. For months after 
the hasty retreat of the Indians, horses and cattle 
were found near old Seeteedown's home. On the 
return of the soldiers all the cattle and horses that 
the}- could round up were gathered and thirty-live 
head of cattle and ten ponies were given to the 
widow of Althea Meeks. 

Very truly yours, 
Joseph Lane. 

ROSEBURG, OkEGON, 

June 27, 1878. 
Col. W. M. Cockrum, 

Oakland City, Ind. 

Dear Sir: The adventure you asked me about 
that had been told you by your father was one of 
many ^yhich I told him, and I yet remember many 
of a like character which he related to me during 
our long acquaintance. 

At an early day — I think it was in 1817 — I, 
with several other young men, took a contract to 



PIONEER HISTORY OF INDIANA. 515 

raft several hundred loyfs down the Ohio to Mr. 
Audubon, who afterward became the jjfreat ornith- 
olojrist. He had a steam sawmill at Henderson, 
Kentucky. It was said that this mill was one 
among many other failures that put him out of a 
business life, and he turned his attention to the 
branch of science and literature in which he after- 
ward became so famous. 

We had landed a tine raft of poplar lojrs near 
the mill. Dinner time came on before the logs 
were measured. We all left the mill— went up to 
a little boarding shanty to get our dinners. Mr. 
Audubon was to measure the logs when he returned 
from dinner. As he came back and got near the 
mill, two large black bears and a small one ran out 
of the mill and into a clump of bushes nearby. The 
engineer started the mill up. The saw was of the 
old sash frame kind, making its strokes up and 
down, governed by the gear attachment to a large 
wheel. When the men got ready to commence 
sawing, they discovered that a young bear was un- 
der the carriage with its head fast in a pot, which 
was much smaller at the top than in the middle. 
This old dinner pot had grease in it to grease the 
machinery. The bear got its head in the pot b}^ 
crowding and could not get it out. One of the men 
atiemi)ted to catch it by its leg. w^hen it set up a 
screaming, strangling noise. In a minute here 
came the iwo old bears, full of tight at the men in 
the mill. They first passed near the engineer, 
when he struck out for a safe place. All of the 
employes made it convenient to get out of danger. 
I recollect yei that I climbed up a center post to a 
cross-beam, which was len or twelve feet from the 
floor. The bears had the mill all to themselves. 
They tried to get the young bear away, would roll 
it and try to make it go, without much success. 
The engine and saw were running, the sash going 
up and down as when sawing. In their efforts to 
get the cub away, the larger bear was rubbed by the 
sash. As soon as it touched him he turned around 
and threw his arms around the sash and the frame 
it ran in. and such a pounding as that bear got! 
He kept his hold until almost exhausted, fell down 
near the saw blade, when the back of the saw was 



516 PIONEER HISTORY OF INDIANA. 

rubbing- against his shoulder. He got up and 
made a grab for it, as if intending to hug the 
saw. In less than a minute his life was sawed out 
of him. The old mother was frantic in her efforts 
to release the little cub, pushing it and tr3'ing to 
g-et it out of the mill. Finally she pushed it oif the 
platform where the logs were put when being 
brought in to saw. The bear fell three oi four feet 
onto a pile of logs and broke the pot. The little 
fellow jumped up and ran off with the top rim of 
the kettle around its neck. 

Mr. Audubon was a ver}' just man. In measur- 
ing our raft, he was very careful to see that every 
inch in it was given us. The sawmill venture was 
a failure, but he paid every farthing which was 
due and then commenced his lifework which was so 
successful. If it had not been for his failure in 
that sawmill, the world might have been poorer by 
not having the many works of the great naturalist. 

Very truly 3'ours, 

Joseph Lane. 



CHAPTER XXII. 



The State Bank and Other Interesting Matter — Coun- 
ties Organized — Michigan's Attempted Theft — 
Speech of Hon. Isaac Montgomery — Land Sharks — 
Land Speculators — Brave Women. 



In 1828 the following counties were organized: 
Hancock County, containing 308 square miles. 
Warren Count3% containing- 360 square miles. 
Carrol Count}^ containing 376 square miles. 

Cass County was formed in 1829, containing 420 square 
miles. 

The following counties were organized in 1830: 
Boone County, containing 408 square miles. 
Clinton County, containing 432 square miles. 
Elkhart County, containing 460 square miles. 
St. Joseph County, containing 468 square miles. 

In 1831 Grant Count}' was organized, containing 416 
square miles. 

In 1832 the following counties were organized: 
Huntington County, containing 384 square miles. 
LaGrange County, containing 396 square miles. 
LaPorte County, containing 562 square miles. 
Miami County, containing 384 square miles. 
Wabash County, containing 420 square miles. 
White County, containing 504 square miles. 

The population of the State in 1830 was a little over 
343,000. 

The expenditures up to 1830 to 1835 to carry on all inter- 



518 PIONEER HISTORY OF INDIANA. 

est of the State of Indiana, were so small in comparison to 
the extraordinary expenses that are now made, that it is 
often brought into question whether the appropriations made 
for the legitimate expenses were not better applied then than 
now. True, the expenses for the Legislature of Indiana in 
1817 were only a little over $7,000.00. This amount covered all 
the expenses of the first General Assembly. More particu- 
larly itemized, there was $5,220.00 for the pay and mileage of 
forty members; $1,157.00 for clerks, fuel and stationery, and 
$947.00 for printing and distributing the laws. The cost of 
the session in 1818 (the same number of members) was 
$10,054.00; the next General Assembly in 1819 was $4,350.00 
for the same number of members. In 1825 the total expenses 
of the State Government were $16,000. The expenses for the 
members of the General Assembly for sixty days, 1903, were 
very near $120,000. These statements are not made in the way 
of criticism, but show the great increase in expenditures. 
What the expenditures for that last named Legislature were 
is not known by the author, but probably more than all the 
expenditures for the ten first Legislatures in Indiana. 

Michigan's nullification. 

In 1834 Michigan, led by some of her very smart set, at- 
tempted to steal a strip of Indiana, ten miles wide, which laj' 
along the southern border of Michigan, thus attempting to 
take from Indiana her very valuable harbors on Lake Michi- 
gan. This claim was set up long after the constitutions of 
Indiana, Illinois and Ohio had been accepted and approved 
by the National Congress. This was kept up b}- Michigan 
for more than two years, until one of the principal agitators, 
while making a furious speech against Indiana and breathing 
out many threats of what he intended to do, became so 
wrought up and so angry that the blood rushed to his head 
and he fell dead. In this attempted steal, a few hot heads 
caused the State of Michigan to act equally as badly as 
South Carolina, except there was a slight difference in their 
attempted nullification. 



PIONEER HISTORY OF INDIANA. 519 

In 183() the followinj^ counties were organized: 
Brown Count.v, containing- 320 square miles. 
DeKalb County, containing 365 s<iuare miles. 
Fulton County, containing 357 square miles. 
Adams Count}', containing 336 square miles. 
Jay County, containing 378 square miles. 
Kosciusko County, containing 507 square miles. 
Marshall County, containing 441 square miles. 
Noble County, containing 432 square miles. 
Porter County, containing 415 square miles. 

In 1837 the following counties were organized: 
Blackford County, containing 16*) square miles. 
Delaware County, containing 394 s(iuare miles. 
Jasper County, containing 975 square miles. 
Lake County, containing 468 square miles. 
Stark County, containing 432 square miles. 
Wells County, containing 272 square miles. 
Steuben County, containing 324 square miles. 

STATE BANK OF INDIANA. 

This bank was established in 1834. Its charter was simi- 
lar to the old United States Bank in many particulars. It 
was adapted to the local conditions of the State. There 
were twelve districts, all having branch banks in Indianapo- 
lis, Terre Haute, Ft. Wayne, Michigan City, Richmond, New 
Albany, Madison, Lawrenceburg. Evansville, Lafayette, 
Vincennes and Bedford. The bank was a State institution 
and the president was elected by the Legislature to serve five 
3'ears, with a salary not less than one thousand dollars or over 
fifteen hundred. The time the charter was to run was until 
the first of January, 1859. The capital stock was $1,600,- 
000.00, divided into fifty dollar shares. One-half of the 
stock was subscribed for by the State. The branches were 
each to have a capital of $160,000. One-half of this was sub- 
scribed b\' the State. During the life of the State Bank 
there would not any other banking institution be permitted 
to be incorporated by the State. The charter provided that 
every stockholder who would pay eighteen dollars and sev- 



520 PIONEER HISTORY OF INDIANA. 

enty-five cents on a fift)^ dollar share of stock, the State (if 
he wanted it) would loan him $31.25 on each share of stock, 
so that the stock would be paid up. This loan was secured 
by good collateral security. The stockholder borrowing- to 
pay his stock was charged by the State five per cent on the 
amount borrowed and was credited with whatever dividend 
there was declared on the stock. In this way the loan was 
paid back to the State and the stock was free to those sub- 
scribing- it, less $18.75 on each fifty dollars. After it had 
paid out, the dividend was paid directly to the holder of the 
stock. Not only did the stockholder receive the dividends, 
but was paid his share of the surplus which accumulated. 

The bank loaned money on real estate at its appraised 
value for taxation. This was always safe, as real estate was 
rapidly advancing in value. To enable the State to pay for 
its share of the stock and to enable it to make advances to 
the stockholders, the State issued five per cent bonds, to run 
for as long a period as the banks were chartered for. These 
bonds were very favorable securit}' and were sold in all the 
money markets of this countr}' and in Europe. 

The State Bank and its branches were soon established. 
All the stock that each was entitled to was subscribed and 
they went on their mission of great prosperity and did untold 
good to the people of the State of Indiana. The management 
was so perfect there was not a single dollar lost by an indi- 
vidual during the long life of the banks. Those owning 
stock or having money deposited in the bank were perfectly 
secure. The confidence that this security brought about in 
all business circles added greatly to the rapid strides made by 
the people in advancing the interests of our State on every 
hand. 

STATE BANK, WITH ITS BRANCHES AND THEIR OFFICERS, OR- 
GANIZED IN 1834. 

Indianapolis Branch— Harvey Bates, president; Bethuel 
F. Morris, cashier. 

Lawrenceburg Branch — Omer Tousey, president; Enoch 
D. John, cashier. 



PIONEER HISTORY OF INDIANA. 521 

Richmond Branch — Achilles Williams, president; Elijah 
Coffin, cashier. 

Madison Branch — James F. D. Lanier, president; John 
Sering-, cashier. 

New Albanj' Branch — Mason C. Fitch, president; James 
R. Shields, cashier. 

Evansville Branch — John Mitchell, president; John Doug- 
las, cashier. 

Vincennes Branch — David S. Bonner, president; John 
Ross, cashier. 

Bedford Branch — William McLane, president; Daniel R.. 
Dunihue, cashier. 

Terre Haute Branch — Demas Deming, president; Aaron 
B. Fontaine, cashier. 

Lafayette Branch— T. T. Benbridge, president; William 
M. Jenners, cashier. 

Fort Wayne Branch — Allen Hamilton, president; Hugh 
McCulloch, cashier. 

Michigan City Branch (organized Februar)', 1839) — Jo- 
seph Orr, president; A. P. Andrews, Jr., cashier. 

There was a provision in the laws authorizing the State 
Bank of Indiana to appropriate the State's surplus of the pro- 
ceeds of the bank for a school fund. "This wise legisla- 
tion," so says Gen. John Coburn, of Indianapolis, "was pro- 
posed by John Beard, of Montgomer)' County, and has 3'ielded 
many millions for the permanent school fund of our State." 
The interest on this fund has added untold blessings to the 
3'ouths of our State for the last sixty years. 

Another wise legislative provision was, that the fines for 
misdemeanors should be appropriated to the same noble pur- 
pose. Those who violated the laws paid for the violation in 
building up a fund to educate the young and influence them 
to become law-abiding citizens instead of law-breakers. From 
these two sources above named, and from many others which 
have favorably come to Indiana in the interest of education, 
our immense school fund has been secured. 

The banks were authorized to issue notes and the prop- 
erty of all the banks was responsible for the redemption of 



522 PIONEER HISTORY OF INDIANA. 

these notes. The law g-overning the manag-ement of these 
banks was such that onl}' five hundred dollars could be 
loaned to an}- one person, and before the loan of this amount 
could be made it had to be recommended by five of the seven 
directors which each branch had. The banks were specie 
paying institutions, and it was in direct opposition to their 
charter not to do so. When the volume of business that each 
of these banks transacted and the small amount of specie 
which was in circulation at that time is noted, one is forced 
to conclude that the bank notes were regarded as good as 
specie, which at that time was mostly silver. 

In 1837, when the hard times came, the banks for several 
5'ears had to suspend paying coin, but this was not regarded 
as a hardship, for the bank notes were so well secured, and 
notwithstanding the uncertainty of the times, people re- 
garded them as good. 

The United States Government in 1836 directed that 
after a certain period in the near future, nothing would be 
received at the land office but coin or Virginia land scrip, ex- 
cept from those purchasing the land to settle and improve. 
The pow-wow made by the Federal authorities against United 
States banks was the real cause of the financial trouble all 
over the country, at least adding much to it. 

HON. ISAAC MONTGOMERY. 

(The speech of Hon. Isaac Montgomery, delivered in the 
State House at Indianapolis, on the 8th of January, 1841, 
while he was representing Gibson County in the State Legis- 
lature, was sent to the Southwestern Sentinel, published at 
Evansville. Whether it was published or not, I do not know. 
John Hargrove was a Democratic member of the Senate at 
the same time, and most likely furnished this copy to the 
Sentinel, as his name, in his handwriting, is on the lower 
corner of the old manuscript J: 

"For the Southwestern Sentinel. 

Mr. Editor: On the 8th of January, 1841, the Hon. E. 
M. Chamberlain delivered a ver)- able but offensive address 
to the Whig party in the State Capitol at Indianapolis, in 



PIONEER HISTORY OF INDIANA. 523 

•consequence of which the Whijjs met at U o'clock P. M. 
same day, to make a rejoinder, called the Hon. S. R. Stan- 
ford to the chair as president of the meeting. The Hon. R. 
W. Thompson of Lawrence county was called on to address 
the meeting:- by way of reply to Mr. Chamberlain. After two 
long- hours of denunciation and abuse of the most bitter kind 
against the administration of Pres. Jackson and VanBuren, 
he finally came to a close, when on motion the Venerable 
Isaac Montgomery, representative from Gibson county was 
called to the chair as vice-president of the meeting, in conse- 
quence of his age and having served with General Harrison 
in the Tippecanoe campaign. On being conducted to the 
chair he addressed the meeting in the following language: 

" 'Gentlemen: I am an old man and no great speaker, 
having but little learning. I was raised in a time and 
country where there was a bad chance to get learning. I 
was raised partly, gentlemen, in the State of Kentucky. Yes, 
gentlemen, I was there in an early day when the Indians 
were as thick as seed ticks and we had to fort up and get 
along the best way we could for a long time before we got 
rid of them. There was no time nor chance, gentlemen, to 
get schooling. 

" 'But gentlemen, if I am no great speaker, I know one 
thing. I am as true a Whig as ever breathed the breath of 
life and in an early day I moved to this state, then a wilder- 
ness territory, in 1805 with my wife and a few little children 
and I brought with me all the way here in m}' pocket a rec- 
ommendation from Col. Crockett, my mother's brother, to 
General Harrison, then the governor of this territory calling 
on him to give me some assistance in purchasing a piece 
of land. 

** 'I showed my recommendation to the General (then 
Governor) and he promised that he would give me some help 
when the land came into market but through my own integ- 
rity and strict economy, yes, gentlemen, by my own sweat 
and labor I procured enough money to buy me a quarter sec- 
tion of land near where I now live, and have raised a large 
family, six isons and with one exception all larger men than I 



524 PIONEER HISTORY OF INDIANA. 

am. Yes, gentlemen and every one of them honest men and 
as true Whigs as ever walked on earth or ever the sun shown 
upon and who are read)' and willing- at any time to lift up 
their hands high to heaven and swear by Him who lives for- 
ever and ever, that they would do nothing wrong. No, gen- 
tlemen, nothing wrong, and who are as good marksmen as 
ever pulled a trigger. This thing of being called tories and 
cowards, gentlemen, there is nothing of it with them. As 
old as I am I am now ready and willing to march out in de- 
fense of my country. 

" 'Gentlemen, we have heard a great deal said about 
the battle of Tippecanoe and about the Indians choos- 
ing General Harrison's camping ground. Now, gentle- 
men, I was there myself, on that very same spot, and I 
know all about it. I know there have been a great many 
things said that are not so. Now, gentlemen, I can tell 3^ou 
all about this matter, 

" 'General Taylor and General Clark are the very men 
who picked out that camping ground. General Harrison sent 
them ahead about one hour by the sun in the evening. Now, 
gentlemen, I know this to be so for I was with General Har- 
rison and by his side at the time. These men, after being 
gone ahead about a half an hour returned and reported 
that they had found a very suitable place to camp, and 
a prettier or more suitable place could not have been found, 
I know. So we went into camp and it was a dark, 
drizzly night. Yes, gentlemen, you could not see your hand 
in front of you, onl}' as the burning of the powder gave light 
from the guns of the enemy's fire, which was squirting and 
streaming out in almost every direction and the bullets would 
whiz and whistle all about in every direction, and they would 
just as soon have shot us right in the head as any other 
place. 

"Yes, gentlemen, there was no time there for dodging. 
Many brave and good men there fought and died in defense 
of these principles which we now advocate and defend. Yes, 
gentlemen, the very identical things which we as a Whig 
party now hold to.'" 



PIONEER HISTORY OF INDIANA. 525 

Honorable Isaac Montgomer}' was a lieutenant in Cap- 
tain \Vm. Hargrove's compan}- which took part in the battle 
of Tippecanoe on Nov. 7. 1811. Lieutenant Montgomery and 
Captain Jacob Warrick who was killed at the battle of Tip- 
pecanoe were brothers in law, Warrick having married Jane 
Montgomery in Kentucky in 1795. On the march from Vin- 
cennes to the Tippecanoe battle ground, the da}- before the 
battle, Capt. David Robb's company had the advance, the arm)' 
had halted in some prairie land for dinner. Three Indians on 
horse back were seen manoeuvring back and forth some dis- 
tance in front of the advance. Each time the)- circled a lit- 
tle nearer to the army. Several shots had been fired at the 
three without any etfect. 

Finally Lieutenant Isaac Montgomery was sent for to tr}' 
the range of his heavy rifle, which he had had made on pur- 
pose to kill bear with. The Lieutenant had the reputation 
of being the best shot in Gibson count)'. When he came up 
he took deliberate aim and fired without any visible effect. 
He then loaded his gun with an extra charge of powder and 
taking careful aim, fired again. One of the Indians was seen 
to pitch forward off his horse. They all soon disappeared. 
From two Indians captured late that evening it was learned 
that the last shot killed one of the Indians. 

The General Clark referred to in the speech was not 
General George Roger:: Clark, but General Maston Clark, 
who was one of General Harrison's aides on this campaign. 

LAXD SHARKS. 

The first settlers who came to Indiana were here before 
the land was surveyed. They selected such places as pleased 
them and built their cabins with the intention of purchasing 
the land when it was for sale. In most cases the settlers had 
an understanding with each other as to the land each wanted 
and mutually agreed to protect each other in these rights. 

Most of the people secured the land which they had set- 
tled on but there were cases where great injustice was done 
by those who were able and had the disposition to be mean. 
This meanness was always resented by the old pioneers in a 



52f) PIONEER HISTORY OF INDIANA. 

way that those who purchased the homes of others were 
looked on with contempt. 

A man named McCo)' had squatted on a nice piece of 
land in the eastern part of Warrick count}^ and had made 
substantial improvements, but up to that time had been un- 
able to secure all the mone}' needed to pa.v for the first forty 
acres of the quarter section w^hich he wanted. His wife went 
a long- way to an uncle of hers and borrowed the balance 
needed to make fifty dollars. The husband went to Vin- 
cennes to purchase the forty acres. 

When he got there he found that a man living about two 
miles away had purchased the land that his improvements 
were on. He went home with the sad news to his wife. The 
neighbors found out the mean treatment that had been im- 
posed on him, and a number of them went in a body and told 
the man that one of two things would have to be done. He 
had to then and there deed the forty acres to McCoy for the 
fifty dollars or they would give him such a thrashing as he 
would never forget and gave him two hours in which to de- 
cide what he would do. 

The fellow was so avaricious that it was hard for him to 
give up the nice property he had so wrongfully entered, but 
his determined neighbors were so threatening that he mide 
the deed. McCoy paid the fifty dollars and finally bought 
the quarter section. This fellow was treated with such con- 
tempt by his neighbors that he sold his property and moved 
to the Illinois country. 

Two farmers in Gibson county coveted a forty acre tract 
that lay between them. Neither of them had the money to 
enter it but both were working hard to secure it. One of the 
men owned one-hundred and sixty acres and his neighbor only 
forty but was intending to buy the forty referred to and fin- 
ally the balance of the quarter section. 

It finally came to the ear of the man owning the forty 
acres that his neighbor had gone to Princeton and intended 
to go to Vincennes the next day to enter the land. He did 
not know what to do as he only had part of the money. A 
neighbor advised him to go that night to Major David Robb's,. 



PIONEER HISTORY OF INDIANA. 527 

who lived near Hazleton ferr}- over White river, and he felt 
sure the Major would lend him the monej'. To make it sure 
the neijjhbor, who was a friend of Major Robb's, would go 
with him and go his security' if needed. This the}" did and 
Robb let him have the money and had him ferried over and 
on his wa}' to Vincennes two hours before da}' the next morn- 
injr. 

The la^nd was entered and when he got to the ferry com- 
ing home he found his neighbor on the south bank waiting 
to cross. When the man learned that the land was pur- 
chased he showed that he had some good traits in him by 
proposing to his neighbor that as he had procured the land, 
there was another forty of the quarter section which he had 
better enter and then the last forty was not so desirable and 
he could purchase that at his leisure and that he would loan 
him the money to make the entry. This offer was accepted. 
He took the money and went back to Vincennes and entered 
the larid. These two men lived on adjoining farms the best 
of friends. Their families intermarried and their descend- 
ants are among our best citizens. 

LAND SPECULATION. 

Along in 1832 there was a flood of land warrants and 
land scrip which had been bought up by an eastern syndi- 
cate. The syndicate had a large number of agents in the 
settling portions of Indiana and Illinois, selecting the land 
they wanted. There were usually (juite a number of these 
agents together. If there were not a sufficient number of 
agents, they hired men to go with them so they would be in 
sufficient numbers to defend themselves. There was not 
thought to be much danger from Indians, although there was 
quite a stir in Northwest Indiana and many reports about the 
Indians. 

There was a neighborhood in western Montgomery 
County which had a fine body of land that fifteen or twenty 
men had settled on, and all of them had purchased part of 
the land that thev wanted and built their cabins and cleared 



528 PIONEER HISTORY OF INDIANA. 

up a portion of the land, with a view of purchasing- the rest 
of the land which each had selected. 

It was found out there was a number of men who had 
been at Crawfordsville hunting- for lands which were located 
in neighborhoods that were being settled. This news 
alarmed the men who had settled in the western part of 
Montgomer.v County, and they sent several parties to find out 
what they could about these agents and to keep a watch on 
their proceedings. 

One of these spies learned of them that they were intend- 
ing to purchase a large body of land in the immediate vicin- 
ity of every settlement in that section of the country. He 
also learned they had already examined several pieces of land 
in neighborhoods southeast of where he was located, and he 
further learned that in obedience to the instruction of their 
employers, every piece of land they recommended had to have 
their personal examination and they had to describe it so 
minutely as to timber, springs, branches, hills and hollows, 
that it could be easily located. The spy also learned that 
these agents intended to be in his neighborhood at a certain 
time a few days off. He agreed to show them the land in 
his part of the country, telling them he was well acquainted 
with all the land in that section. Hurrying home, he told 
the neighbors of the danger they were in. They got together 
and canvassed many plans of how to best get rid of these ob- 
noxious agents. They sent to their surrounding neighbors 
and procured all the help they could and determined to give 
the agents a scare, or try it. 

The day the agents went to the settlement, they met 
their pretended friends, who were showing them the 
land outside of their neighborhood. They had been some 
time engaged in going over the land, when behind the party 
several Indians were seen coming on their trail. This 
startled them. Soon on the north another party appeared, 
on the west another party — in all, thirty or forty full-dressed 
Indians. Giving a blood-curdling war-whoop, the Indians 
started for the agents, who made a rush for the south to get 
out, as they were surrounded on every other side. The gfuide 



PIONEER HISTORY OF INDIANA. 529 

lying- down on his horse led the part)'. The Indians were 
shooting- and whooping- at a fearful rate, the balls whistling- 
uncomfortably close around their heads. The Indians made it 
a point not to overtake them, but to keep up the running- 
fig-ht. and every now and then a party of Indians would dash 
around the side as if they intended to surround them. This 
running- fig-ht was kept up for several hours, the g-uide lead- 
ing- them out of Montg-omery County and down into Park 
County. They kept up a g-ood gait until they reached Terre 
Haute. 

The excitement created b}' this Indian scare raised a 
wonderful excitement all over that section of the State. The 
alarming- reports of the speculators were the cause of Gov- 
ernor Noble ordering- General Walker to call out his com- 
mand. In that command were several companies from Mont- 
gomery County. Among- these companies were a number of 
our land friends, and they were very loud in telling about the 
atiack of the Indians on the land agents. This taking: place 
at about the same time that Black Hawk was raising- trouble 
in the Illinois country not far away, raised a tremendous ex- 
citement all over a larg-e part of Indiana. Some of the citi- 
zens went to repairing- old forts and building blockhouses, 
and it was many weeks before things quieted down. It is not 
known whether the men who organized the Indian scare got 
the land that they wanted or not, but they certainly de- 
served it. 

BKAVE WOMEN. 

Many startling incidents grew out of the Indian scare 
when the defenders of the land, disguised as Indians, drove 
the agents out of the country, as recorded in a previous chap- 
ter, and some of them were really amusing. Hundreds of 
persons flocked into Lafayette and Crawfordsville and other 
towns near that section. The people of Tippecanoe, Ver- 
million, P\^untain, Montgomery and Warren counties and 
parts of other counties were in a great state of excitement. 
The militia were heroically preparing for war. 

A family which lived several miles west of Lafaj'ette had 
seven children. The man had married a woman who had 



530 PIONEER HISTORY OF INDIANA. 

been reared in southwestern Indiana and had been used to 
false alarms about the Indians, but her brave husband had 
not been so accustomed to these blood-curdling scares. He 
was out shooting prairie chickens when a neighbor, with his 
wife riding behind him on horseback and a small child in 
arras, came hurriedly up to the chicken hunter and told him 
that all the countr)' west of there was being scalped and that 
the Indians were headed in that direction. 

Hurrying to the house, he told his wife the awful news 
and commenced to get things in shape to go to Lafayette. 
Bringing the horse and cart to the door for that purpose, he 
was met with the greatest surprise of his life. His wife re- 
fused to budge an inch, saying that she had lived all her life 
among just such alarming reports and had been dragged out 
of bed at all hours of the night and hurried, half asleep, to a 
fort, and all these scares had been false alarms, and that she 
was not going to be made a fool of in any such way. She 
told him if he wished to, he could go, but that he would find 
her at the same old cabin after he recovered from his Indian 
scare. The husband did not feel any of the grit his wife 
possessed, so taking the six oldest children, he loaded them 
into the chart, bidding his wife an affectionate good-bye, sa}-- 
ing he felt almost certain he would never see her again alive, 
and if it were not for their fine children he would stay and 
die with her, but he felt that it was suicidal to dare danger 
as she was doing. She said, "You take the children and go. 
If I never see you again, I shall die with the satisfaction of 
knowing that I had a husband who thought too much of his 
scalp to permit any Indian to have its black glossy locks as 
an ornament to his helmet." 

The husband and children remained away two days and 
nights. No Indians having been seen or heard of, he con- 
cluded to return. Loading his six children into the cart, he 
drove home, where he found ever3^thing looking much the 
same as he had left it. Old Bowser and Tige were there to 
pay the proper welcome to the home-coming family. On 
going into the house, he found his wife sitting by the little 
wheel, one foot on the treadle, while both her hands were 



PIONEER HISTORY OF INDIANA. 531 

busy evening- the tow that she pulled from the distaff before 
it entered the fi3'ers and was spun into thread. With the 
other foot she was rocking- a sugar trough in which her small 
child was soundl}' sleeping- She was singing: 

Rock-a-bye, O, Baby, 

Your dadd3''s gone a-hunting 
To get a big Indian skin 

To wrap the Baby Bunting in. 

Looking around the house, the brave man saw a fine, fat 
g-obbler, dressed and ready for roasting, and on the wall 
was a large fresh coon skin. "Mandy, wh)^ in thunderation 
have you been using- m}' powder so free?" She replied, 
"Never mind. Ebenezer, there is plenty left. If you hear of 
an Indian crossing- the Mississippi river, you won't need it, 
for you'll be on the g-o to Lafayette ag-ain." 

In a section of southern Indiana in Switzerland County, 
not far from the Ohio river, a ver}* quiet and inoffensive man 
lived with his wife and two children. They owned a very- 
nice, well-improved farm and had plenty of everything. 
There were persons living- in that section who wanted their 
nice property, and attempted to drive them away from it in 
order that they might purchase it at a very low price. 

One morning they found a bundle of switches near their 
door, with a notice on it from some unknowrppart}' telling- 
the man there was one of two things that he had to do leave 
thai section and never return or they would whip him so that 
he would be convinced that he was no longer wanted in that 
section. This was very alarming to this inoffensive man, 
who could not understand why he was so treated, but as he 
had always been a peaceable man and wanted to avoid all 
trouble, he thought it would be best for them to sell their 
home and move to some other place. 

His wife, who was made of very different sort of mettle, 
declared that she would not go and would live on that farm 
or die in the attempt. The notice gave a certain time for 
him to be gone. It so worried him that it was feared he 
would lose his mind. It was decided that he should go back 



532 PIONEER HISTORY OF INDIANA. 

to Ohio for awhile and leave the home with his wife and the 
two small children, thinking that no man would be so lost to 
manhood as to attack a woman. After the husband was gone, 
a sister of his wife's came to live with her. 

The da)" before the time given the husband in the notice 
expired, there was another bundle of switches found at a 
spring- near the house and a note threatening to whip and tar 
and feather the two women if they did not leave by a certain 
time, only a few days off. They determined to put every- 
thing in the best condition for defense and await the coming 
of the threatening fellows. They had a large dog which 
they kept in the house every night. The time arrived as 
stated in the notice and a loud knock was heard at the door. 
The woman warned them to go away, saying that if they at- 
tempted to come into the house, they would regret their ac- 
tions. As there were seven or eight men in the party, they 
laughed at her. Securing a heavy rail, they broke the batton 
door down. The younger woman was on the other side of a 
table from the door and had an old musket loaded with slugs 
lying across the table and pointing at the door. As several 
men attempted to rush into the house, this old gun was fired 
into their faces. There was a loud howl of pain. Two men 
were seen to be carried away. Soon the clatter of horses' 
hoofs were heard going down a nearb}- road and there was no 
further trouble. Two men were missing out of that section 
who, it was said, had gone down the river; but they never re- 
turned. 

The man returned from Ohio to his famil}' and they con- 
tinued to live upon the farm and raised a large family of re- 
spected and honest children, whose descendants today own a 
large amount of territory in the immediate vicinity of where 
this incident took place. 



CHAPTER XXIII. 



INTERNAL IMPROVEMENTS. 



Canals — Railroads — State Debt — Turnpike Roads — 
Wabash Rapids — Pottawattamie and Miami Indians 
Removed From the State. 



If the wise counsel given b}' Governor Hendricks in his 
message to the Legislature in 1822 had been followed, a great 
misfortune to the financial interests of the State would have 
been averted and a great man3' of the attempted improve- 
ments would have been finished and become paying properties, 
from which the State would have derived a handsome revenue, 
as other States which were more careful in the construction 
of their public works, did. Instead of attempting to con- 
struct ten or twelve expensive works at the same time, if 
there had been two or three of these carried on and finished 
and placed in condition to be operated, all that was needed of 
the many which were attempted to be constructed would 
have been finished. It was proved to the satisfaction of all 
that many of these properties would have been made paying 
investments. 

Governor Ray, in his first message, considered the con- 
struction of roads and canals as necessary to place the State 
on a financial footing equal to the old States. In 1829 he 
added: "This subject can never grow irksome since it must 
be the source of the blessing of civilized life. To secure its 
benefits, it is a duty enjoined upon the Legislature by the ob- 
ligation of the social compact." 



534 PIONEER HISTORY OF INDIANA. 

In 1832 internal improvement works were put under wa}^ 
That 5'ear the Asiatic cholera had caused ma.nj deaths in 
various parts of the State and the corn crop was a partial 
failure all over the State. Notwithstanding- these distressing 
circumstances, the canal commissioners completed their sur- 
veys and estimates and had prepared the bonds for the con- 
struction of the work, which the}' sold in the cit}' of New 
York to the amount of $1,000,000.00 at a large premium. 
During that year there were $54,000.00 spent in improving 
the Michigan road and $52,000.00 was realized from the sale 
of land appropriated for its construction. In that year thirty- 
two miles of the Wabash and Erie canal were placed under 
contract and the work was commenced. In compliance with 
the request of the Legislature of the State of Indiana, where 
permission was asked to extend the canal from the Ohio 
State line to Lake Erie, the Governor of Ohio laid the sub- 
ject before the Legislature of that State and a resolution was 
passed declining to undertake the completion of the work 
within her limits before the time fixed by the act of Congress 
for the completion of the canal. She would, on just and 
equitable terms, enable Indiana to avail herself of the bene- 
fit of the lands granted by authorizing her to sell them and 
invest the proceeds in the stock of a company to be incor- 
porated by the State of Ohio and that she would give Indi- 
ana notice of her final determination on or before January 1, 
1838. 

The Legislature of Ohio authorized and invited the 
agent of the State of Indiana to select, survey and set apart 
the lands lying within the State. In keeping- with this pol- 
icy, Governor Noble in 1834 said: "With a view of engaging 
in works of internal improvement, the propriety of adopting 
a general plan or system having reference to the several por- 
tions of the State and the connection of one with the other, 
naturally suggests itself. No work should be commenced but 
such as would be of acknowledged public utility. In view ot 
this object, the polic}' of organizing a board of public works 
is again respectfull}' suggested." 

In 1835 the Wabash and Erie canal was being rapidly 



PIONEER HISTORY OF INDIANA. 535 

constructed. The middle division from St. Joseph's dam to 
the Wabash river, thirt)'-two miles, was completed at a cost 
■of 8232,000.00, includinj^ all the expenses of finishing: up the 
^vork which had been washed away b}' the hea'v}- rains. By 
the middle of the summer, boats were running on this part of 
the line. 

In 1836 the first meeting of the Board of Internal Im- 
provements was convened and entered upon its responsible 
duties. Each member was assigned the superintendency of a 
portion of the work. There seemed to have been a lack of 
engineers, there being so many works in progress, and a 
number were imported from other sections of the country. 
Under their management the work progressed favorably. 
The canal was soon navigating the middle division from Ft. 
Wayne to Huntington. Sixteen miles of the line from Hunt- 
ington to LaFountain creek was filled with water this 3'ear 
and made read}- for navigation. The remaining twent}' 
miles, except a portion of the locks from LaFountain creek to 
IvOgansport, was under construction. From Georgetown to 
Lafayette the work was put under contract. 

That same year about thirty miles of the Whitewater 
canal, from Lawrenceburg to Brookville, was placed under 
contract, as was twenty-three miles of the Central canal, 
which passed through Indianapolis; also twenty miles of a 
southern division of this work, extending from Evansville 
into the interior, was placed under contract, and the cross-cut 
canal from Terre Haute to where it intersected the Central 
canal, near the mouth of Eel river, was all under contract 
for construction. That same year the engineer examined the 
route of the Michigan and Erie canal and reported the ex- 
pedienc)' of constructing the same. A party of engineers 
was fitted out and entered upon the field service of the Madi- 
son and Lafayette Railroad and contracts were let for its 
construction from Madison to Vernon. Contracts were let for 
grading and bridging the New Albany and Vincennes road 
from New Albany to Paoli. Other roads were also under- 
taken and surveyed. Indiana evidently had an immense 
amount of work upon her hands. 



536 PIONEER HISTORY OF INDIANA. 

Governor Noble said: ''On these vast undertakings Indi- 
ana has staked her fortune and she has gone too far to retreat." 

In 1837 David Wallace was inaugurated Governor of In- 
diana. At that time the vast amount of work in progress 
and the immense amount of mone}' needed to carry it forward 
was becoming a severe burden in man}^ parts and the internal 
improvement scheme was being felt by all the people. The 
State debt was so rapidly increasing, that they had fears 
that it could never be paid. The Governor did all he could 
to keep the citizens in good cheer by explaining the astonish- 
ing success the State had made far surpassing the hopes of 
the most sanguine, and the flattering prospect for the future. 
This should have dispelled every fear. Governor Wallace 
was a very popular man, but the rumblings of the coming 
disaster were too plainly heard by the sensible business peo- 
ple for his encouragement to have the desired effect of quell- 
ing all their fears. 

During the several years that so much work was in 
progress in Indiana, wages were high and all kinds of 
produce, forage and provisions were bringing good prices, 
and the vast amount of raone_v that was paid out for this 
labor apparently made good times in all parts of the country 
where this work was being done, but this was a fictitious ap- 
pearance. The people had run into extravagance and en- 
gaged in many speculations for which future promissory 
note were given. The retail merchants contracted debts with 
their wholesale merchants and had sold vast quantities of 
goods to their customers, who were wholly depending on 
these works for the mone}^ to pay for them. When the crash 
came as it did, there was a general suspension of every sort 
of business. 

The State's financial ruin was very great. Thousands 
of men who were on the road to fortune could do nothing but 
stand idly by and see their fond hopes in ruin. So wide was 
this disaster in the country, more particularly bordering on 
the works of the various undertakings which the State was 
trying to put through, that it was indeed distressing. In 
1838 there were many more individuals involved in the ruin 



PIONEER HISTORY OF INDIANA. 537 

which was so disheartening: to all the people. 

At the meeting: of the Leg'islature that 3'ear, Governor 
Wallace in his message said: "Never before — I speak ad- 
visedly — never before have )'ou witnessed a period in our 
local history which more urg^ently calls for the exercise of all 
the soundest and best attributes of grave and patriotic legis- 
lation than the present. The truth is, and it would be foil}' 
to conceal it, we have our hands full — full to overflowing — 
and therefore, to sustain ourselves and to preserve the credit 
and character of the State unimpaired and to continue her 
hitherto unexampled march to wealth and distinction, we 
have not an hour of time nor a dollar of money nor a hand 
employed in labor to squander and dissipate upon mere ob- 
jects of idleness or taste or amusements." 

In the last of the summer of 1839 work was suspended on 
most of these improvements and the contracts were surren- 
dered to the State. This action was taken b}' the direction 
of an act of the Legislature providing for the compensation 
of the contractors by issuing treasury notes to pay them. 
The Legislature of 1839 had no arrangements for the pa}-- 
ment of the interest on the State debt incurred for the inter- 
nal improvements. 

The State had borrowed $3,827,000.00 for internal im- 
provements; $1,327,000.00 was for the Wabash and Erie 
canal and the balance for the rest of the works. The five 
per cent interest on debts which the State had to pay, 
amounting to nearly $200,000.00, had become very burden- 
some, as it had for this purpose only two sources besides 
direct taxation — the interest on what was due for canal land 
and the proceeds of the third installment of the surplus reve- 
nue, both amounting in 1838 to about $45,000.00. By the 
the first of August, 1839, all works ceased on these improve- 
ments. 

It had become evident to all that the State could not 
finish all these works. The Legislature of 1841 passed the 
law authorizing any private company to take charge of and 
complete any of the work except the Wabash and Erie canal. 
It was thought that by the aid of the Government the State 



538 PIONEER HISTORY OF INDIANA. 

could finish that in the next several years. The State had 
much to gain by turning these works over to private com- 
panies, as these corporations agreed to pay to the State 
in its bonds an amount equivalent to what the State had paid 
on the work turned over to the private companies. 

The company that took the Madison and Indianapolis 
Railroad and completed it, after paying the State back what 
it had expended on that work, the second year after its com- 
pletion, paid to its stockholders a dividend equal to eight and 
a half per cent upon their investment. 

When the operations ceased, the people were left, in a 
great measure, without any means whereby they could secure 
money to pay their debts. This condition of things rendered 
direct taxation inexpedient, hence it became the policy of Gov- 
ernor Bigger to provide some way to pay the interest on the 
State debt which would not increase the rate of taxation. 

In 1840, in the internal improvement system, of which 
there were ten different works, by far the most important was 
the Wabash and Erie canal. The length of the lines em- 
braced in the system was 1,160 miles. Of this, all told, 140 
miles were completed. The amount that had been paid out 
for this work was $5,600,000.00, and by estimates it would 
require more than $14,000,000.00 to complete the works. 

In order that the reader may understand the magnitude 
■of this immense undertaking by the State, a statement is 
here given showing the expenses incurred on the work and 
the amount completed: 

1. The Wabash and Erie canal, from the State line to 
Tippecanoe, 129 miles in length; completed and made navi- 
gable the whole length at a cost of $2,041,012.00. This sum 
included the cost of a lock for steamboats which was after- 
wards completed at Delphi. 

2. The extension of the Wabash and Erie canal from 
the mouth of the Tippecanoe river to Terre Haute, 104 miles. 
The estimate of this work was $1,500,000.00 and the amount 
expended for the same was $408,855. The work was opened 
from Tippecanoe down as far as Lafayette. 

3. The cross-cut canal from Terre Haute to Central 



PIONEER HISTORY OF INDIANA. 539 

canal, 49 miles in lenyrth. The estimated cost was S718,- 
672.00. There was paid on this work 8420.679.00. 

4. The Whitewater canal from Lawrenceburg' to the 
mouth of Nettle creek, 76 miles. The estimated cost was 
SI, 675,738.00. The amount expended was 81,099,867.00. 
Thirty-one miles of the work was navigable, from the Ohio 
river to Brookville. 

5. The Central canal from Wabash and Erie canal to 
Indianapolis, including- the P^eeder Bend at Muncie, 124 
miles in length, to cost 82,299,853.00. Amount paid on con- 
tstruction, 8568,046. Eight miles was completed at the date 
of this statement and other portions near completion. 

6. Central canal, from Indianapolis to Evansville, 194 
miles in length; total estimate, to cost 83,532,394.00. Amount 
paid on construction, 8831,302.00. 

7. The Erie and Michigan canal, 182 miles in length. 
Estimated cost, 82,624,823.00. Expended on construction, 
8156,394.00. 

8. Madison and Indianapolis Railroad, 85 2-3 miles in 
length. The estimated cost for construction was 82,046,- 
600.00. Paid on construction works, 81,493,013.00. 

9. Indianapolis and Lafa)'ette turnpike road, 73 miles 
long. Estimated cost, 8593,737. Amount paid for works, 
872,118.00. The bridging and most of the grading done on 
27 miles. 

10. New Alban)' and Vincennes turnpike road, 105 
miles long. Estimated to cost 81,127,295.00. Amount ex- 
pended, 8654,411.00. Forty-one miles macadamized from Pa- 
oli to New Albany. 

11. Jefferson ville and Crawfordsville road, 164 miles 
long. Estimated to cost 81,551,800.00. Amount expended, 
8372,737.00. 

12. To improve the Wabash rapids. Work to be done 
jointly by Indiana and Illinois. Indiana's amount of the cost 
to be 8102,500.00. Expended by Indiana, 89,500.00. 

The length of roads and canals, 1,289 miles, 281 of which 
had been finished. Estimated cost of all the works, 819,914,- 
400.00. Paid out for construction of the works, 88,164,528.00. 



540 PIONEER HISTORY OF INDIANA. 

The State at that time owed in round numbers $18,500,- 
000.00. On this vast sum of mone}- the interest ranged from 
4 per cent to 7 per cent. 

The State made several attempts to finish the Wabash 
and Erie canal. In 1841 it was successfully operated from 
Ft. Wa)'ne to Lafa5'ette and paid a fair revenue to the State. 
Congress in that )'ear made the second grant of lands to aid 
in the construction of the canal, and in 1845 made the third 
grant, which embraced half of the Government land which at 
that time remained in the Vincennes district. All these 
efforts were futile. There was such a vast expense with a 
very small income, that it was impossible to carry on the 
work. 

Everything lay quiet until 1846, when Mr. Charles But- 
ler, who represented the bondholders, offered to take the 
canal, with its lands granted for the construction of it, for 
one-half of the improvement bond debt. The State was to 
have the right of redemption. The canal under this manage- 
ment was completed to Terre Haute in 1844 and to Evansville 
in 1852. The entire length in Indiana was 375 miles, also it 
extended 84 miles into Ohio, making a total length of 459 
miles. This enormous work, which cost so many millions of 
dollars, onl}' lasted for a few years, owing to its being par- 
alleled the entire length by railroads, but it caused a large 
emigration to sections for man}'^ miles on both sides of it 
throughout its entire length and gave employment to many 
thousands of laborers and furnished good markets for a large 
amount of produce at fair prices. 

The Legislature of Indiana requested the Congress of 
the United States to extinguish all the Indian titles inside of 
the State. The request was granted and a treaty with the 
Pottawattamie Indians ceded to the Government of the 
United States six million acres of land, being all they owned. 
A little later the Miami Indians through the good offices of 
Col. A. C. Pepper, the Indian agent, sold a considerable part 
of the most desirable portion of their reserve to the United 
States. 

In July, 1837, Col. A. C. Pepper had a meeting with the- 



PIONEER HISTORY OF INDIANA. 541 

Pottawattamie Indians at Lake Kewawna for the purpose of 
removing- them to the west of the Mississippi river. That 
fall Georg-e H. P/ophet, of Petersburg-, Indiana, conducted to 
the west of the Mississippi river a portion of the Pottawatta- 
mie Indians. The next year Colonel Pepper and General 
Tipton, with a body of United States soldiers, conducted 
about one thousand of these Indians to the west of the Mis- 
sissippi river. 

''It was a sad and mournful spectacle to witness these 
children of the forest slowly retiring- from the home of their 
childhood, which contained not only the g-raves of their 
revered ancestors, but also many endearing- scenes to which 
their memories would ever recur as sunny spots along- their 
pathway through the wilderness. They felt that they were 
bidding- farewell to the hills, valleys and streams of their 
infancy, the more exciting- scenes on the hunting- g-rounds of 
their advanced youth, as well as the sturdy battlefields where 
the}- had contended in riper manhood, on which they had re- 
ceived wounds and where many of their friends and loved 
relatives had fallen covered with g-ore and g-lory. All these 
the)' were leaving- behind them to be desecrated by the plow- 
share of the white man. As they cast mournful glances back 
to these loved scenes, which were rapidly fading- in the dis- 
tance, tears fell from the cheek of the downcast warrior, old 
men trembled, matrons wept, the swarthy maiden's cheek 
turned pale and sighs and half-suppressed sobs escaped from 
the motley g-roups as they passed along, some on horseback 
and some on foot and others in wagons, sad as a funeral pro- 
cession. Several of the aged warriors were seen to cast 
glances toward the sky as if they were imploring aid from 
the spirits of their departed heroes, who were looking down 
upon them from the clouds, or from ihe Great Spirit, who 
would ultimately redress the wrongs of the red man whose 
broken bow had fallen from his hand and whose sad heart 
was bleeding within him. Ever and anon one of rhe party 
would start out into the brush and break back to their old 
encampments on Eel river and on the Tippecanoe, declaring 
ihey would rather die than be banished from iheir counirv. 



542 PIONEER HISTORY OF INDIANA. 

Thus scores of discontented emigrants returned from different 
points on their journey, and it was several years before they 
could be induced to join their countrymen on the west of the 
Mississippi," 

These two nations of Indians, the Pottawattamies and 
Miamis, were the proudest and most determined of all the 
Indians who inhabited northern Indiana. 

In 1839 Pulaski County was organized, containing 342 
square miles. 

In 1840 Benton County was organized, containing 360 
square miles. 

In 1842 Whitney County was organized, containing 324 
square miles. 

In 1844 the following counties were organized: 
Howard County, containing 279 square miles. 
Ohio County, containing 92 square miles. 
Tipton County, containing 264 square miles. 
Newton County was organized in 1859. 

In 1840 the population of Indiana was 685,000, lacking 
1,000 of doubling itself since 1830. 

James Whitcomb was elected Governor in 1843. 



CHAPTER XXIV. 



PENAL, BENEVOLENT AND EDUCATIONAL INSTI- 
TUTIONS. 



State Prison — Asylum fok Deaf and Dumb — Asylum for 
Blind — Hospital for the Insane — State Univer- 
sities — State Library. 



THE STATE PRISON. 

Prior to 1822 the convicts of the state for misdemeanors 
or violation of the law were held in the count_v prisons. In 
some desperate cases Indiana had to borrow from other states 
a place where the.y could be safel}- held. In 1822 the Indiana 
State Prison was located at Jeffersonville and four acres of 
ground was secured for the purpose of erecting suitable 
buildings. It was supposed that the labor of the convicts 
could be advantageousl)' employed in constructing a canal 
around the Ohio Falls and this was urged very strongly to 
the committee which was appointed to select a site for the 
prison and had much weight in the selection of Jeffersonville 
for that purpose. 

On this location strong buildings were erected in which 
secure cells for the convicts were made. The buildings were 
made as near fire-proof as possible. Within the grounds sev- 
eral other extensive buildings were erected, such as cooper 
shops, wagon shops, iron foundries and shops for the manu- 
facture of many sorts of articles. All this material was sold 
in the interest of the State and applied on the prison ex- 
penses, thus making the violators of the law, while they 



544 PIONEER HISTORY OP INDIANA. 

were held in prison and securely guarded, become self sup- 
porting- by their own labor. 

ASYLUM FOR THE DEAF AND DUMB. 

The initiator)' step toward establishing- this benevolent 
institution was taken b}' the State Legislature in 1842-'43 b)' 
lev3ing a "tax of two mills on each one hundred dollars 
worth of propert}' in the State for the purpose of supporting 
a deaf and dumb as3ium." At the same session an appropri- 
ation of two hundred dollars was made to James McClain, 
who had for several months been instructing a school of deaf 
and dumb in Park Count3^ A committee was appointed and 
selected a location near Indianapolis, where the buildings 
were erected. The length of the main building, including 
the wing, was two hundred and sixty-three feet. There was 
another building erected on the ground in which the class- 
rooms were situated. This initiatory step of Indiana for the 
protection of the unfortunate mutes, bj" providing a fine home 
for them and at the same time furnishing them with a good 
education, was in the line of progress which has ever been 
the watchword of the rulers of Indiana since the organization 
of its territory. The great blessings to humanity and the 
individual blessing given to so many of its people is some- 
thing that every citizen of the State should feel proud of. 
This benevolent institution is just in its infancy, but judging 
the future from what has recently passed, it will prove one of 
the greatest blessings to the State and to thousands of its 
unfortunate people. Pupils are received into this institution 
between the ages of ten to thirty years. They are boarded, 
clothed and cared for by the State without charge to the pupil. 

Indiana's institution for the education of its blind. 

In 1847 the Legislature by an enactment resolved to 
erect buildings suitable for the care and education of the 
blind inhabitants of the State. The committee appointed lo- 
cated that institution at Indianapolis. This institution has 
for its object the moral, intellectual and physical training of 
the blind youths of both sexes. The building was erected 



PIONEER HISTORY OF INDIANA. 545 

and obedient to the requirements of the acts of the Legisla- 
ture, by which the trustees of the institution were appointed, 
the)' put an advertisement in the leading papers all over the 
State that the.v were read}' to receive application from those 
who had blind youths in charge who wished to take advan- 
tage of this opportunity to educate them. At the same time 
they sent out circulars to all the county officers and to the 
judges of the various courts, notifying them that the institution 
was ready to receive pupils, setting forth the conditions, etc. 
Those received into this institution were educated at the ex- 
pense of the State. The institution was open for the recep- 
tion of pupils in the fall of 1847. At that opening there were 
nine pupils and at the next opening of the school in 1848 
there were thirt}' pupils. 

The untold blessings that the work of this noble institu- 
tion has brought to that unfortunate class of humanity of 
our State is beyond estimate. Were it not for this effort in 
the interest of those whose eyes are darkened to the beauties 
of this world, their minds would forever remain in the same 
darkened and benighted condition, but this institution has 
taught them that by one of the five senses, the touch, the 
mysteries of this beautiful world are unfolded to them and 
the history of all countries revealed to them by raised letters 
and figures which the fingers spell out, and they are enabled 
to understand the beautiful creation of all the natural things 
of earth and to learn of the world beyond, and all things 
which have been hidden from them on account of their 
dimmed vision are made as plain as if their eyes had been 
open and they could see. This noble work will go on shed- 
ding its great blessings to humanity in every section of our 
State. 

THE INDIANA HOSPITAL FOR THE INSANE. 

In 1843 the Legislature by enactment resolved to estab- 
lish a hospital for the insane. Selecting a commission for the 
purpose of locating a site for this benevolent institution, they 
secured for that place one hundred and sixty acres of ground 
within two miles of Indianapolis, for which the State paid 
$5, 500. (JO. The cost for erecting the building was $51,500.00. 



546 PIONEER HISTORY OF INDIANA. 

This building was designed to accommodate two hundred 
patients, with officers, attendants, nurses, etc., to take care of 
them. The applications for admission into that hospital 
were in four classes: First, where cases of disease had been 
for less than one 3^ear's standing-. These should have prefer- 
ence before others in the county sending them. The second, 
chronic cases presenting the most favorable condition for re- 
covery. Third, the case was taken from those whose appli- 
cant had been longest on file. The fourth case was from 
counties in proportion to their population. These patients 
are cared for by the State without charge. 

The State, by providing for this helpless and unfortunate 
class of our citizens, has done credit to herself, as well as 
added a great blessing to many communities and to families 
which hitherto had to care for their own unfortunate insane. 
There can be no question as to the State's duty in this mat- 
ter. When reason is dethroned and the subject becomes in- 
sane, there is no security for those who come in contact with 
him. The unfortunate and humiliating position which so 
many families of the State have been placed in by being com- 
pelled to care for the demented members of their family, and 
in many cases they were ill-prepared to care for them. Many 
of these poor unfortunates they have -been compelled to place 
in buildings securely erected for that purpose, where the)" 
were tied. In many cases, members of families have not 
shown the human sympathy they should for those of their 
own blood, but these unfortunates have been tied and com- 
pelled to remain, day in and day out, in the places prepared 
for them, the condition of which it is not best to mention 
here. 

The State has the means and can care for these un- 
fortunates, and it should relieve the families of this burden^ 
thereby adding a blessing to society and doing a noble act of 
humanity. 

STATE LIBRARY. 

The first appropriation for a State Library (which is in 
the Capitol Building of the StateJ was in 1825, when there 
was an appropriation of fifty dollars made for binding the 



PIONEER HISTORY OF INDIANA. 547 

records of the State. There was also a thirtj' dollar appro- 
priation to be made annually thereafter for the purchase of 
books. 

From that small beginning- the library of the State has 
rapidly increased in number of volumes until it has grown to 
such proportions as to till a very large room, with a most ex- 
cellent set of reference and historical works which are a 
great credit to the State and is destined to become of great 
advantage to all literary students who are seeking informa- 
tion which has not been carefully preserved in the private 
libraries of our country. The incidents of history which are 
of daily occurrence taking place are regarded as of little note 
and as commonplace things, but when a generation has 
passed and these then little noticed incidents are wished to be 
recalled, as a rule there is nothing but a traditional histor}' 
of these occuirences except they are preserved in such places 
as this State Library. It is to the credit of those having this 
grand work in charge that they are making every effort to se- 
cure a complete record of the many historic and heroic actions 
of her people in an early period of this State's history. If 
this is carried out as it should be, and no doubt will be, this 
institution will become to all lovers of their State's history a 
place of resort when in search of information, second to no 
other in Indiana, 

STATE EDUCATION-AL INSTITUTIONS. 

Soon after the organization of Indiana Territory a town- 
ship of land in Gibson County was granted to that territory for 
the establishment and endowment of a college. About four 
thousand acres of this land was sold by the authority of the 
Territorial Legislature and the proceeds applied to the bene- 
fit of the Vincennes University. In 1816 the second town- 
ship of land situated in Monroe County, Indiana, was granted 
by Congress to the State, which, with the unsold part of the 
township in Gibson County, wa> directed to be held by the 
State for the purpose of establishing a college or university. 
In carrying out this trust, the Legislature appointed a board 
of trustees and authorized them to sell a part of the land and 



548 PIONEER HISTORY OF INDIANA. 

erect suitable buildings and to establish a seminar_v of learn- 
ing. This was carried out in 1824, when the State Univer- 
sity at Blooming-ton first opened its doors for the reception of 
students, in charge of a president and two professors. From 
the time of its first start the institution was well patronized. 
In 1838 this institution was chartered as a universit)^ In the 
meantime the number of professors was increased, a librar}^ 
and philosophical apparatus were procured and an additional 
building was erected. To meet these accumulated expenses, 
the balance of the land situated in Gibson Count}' and that in 
Monroe County was sold and the surplus of the money, 
amounting to about $80,000.00, was put into an endowment 
fund, from the interest of which the expenses of the Univer- 
sity were to be paid. Since these institutions were author- 
ized and endowed by the State, the citizens in many other 
portions of Indiana have built and endowed many private in- 
stitutions of learning. 

These two State institutions were created at an early 
period and were fostered entirely by the State. The building 
of the University at Bloomington and the appropriation of 
the township of land in Monroe County for that purpose 
would seem to be a just measure, but how the controlling au- 
thorities of this State could have so far been influenced by 
those in high political stations as to have taken a township 
of land out of, the best portion of Gibson County, that is to- 
day worth two million dollars, and sacrificed it at a nominal 
price for the benefit of a State Universit}' in Monroe County 
and the University of Vincennes in Knox County is, at this 
time, hard to account for. 



CHAPTER XXV. 



THE MEXICAN WAR. 



INDIANS IN THE MEXICAN WAR. 

In 1800 Moses Austin went to Texas and from that time 
to 1820 was eng-ag-ed in lead-mining-. While at Bexar, Texas, 
at one time he met with the Mexican Governor of that prov- 
ince and they became g-ood friends. He often applied to the 
Governor for concessions which amounted to a large territory 
of land where the city of Austin, Texas, now stands, and re- 
ceived permission from the Governor to colonize his new pos- 
sessions with people from the United States, consisting of 
three hundred families. Austin started this work, but before 
he had the settlement completed he died, and his son, Stephen. 
Austin, was made head of the Texan colon}'. Though much 
annoyed b}' Indians, he was very successful in his coloniza- 
tion scheme and received a g-reat many accessions, amounting" 
to many times more families than the agreement between him 
and the Texas Governor specified. There were so many 
Americans, they concluded to form a government for them- 
selves, making- such laws as would be suitable for their in- 
terest. 

In the spring of 1833 they called a convention and 
framed a code of laws and adopted them without paying any 
attention to the Spanish population. The_v sent a com- 
mission to the City of Mexico, asking the Mexican Govern- 
ment to ratify their actions. Mexico was at that time in a 
revolution and paid but little attention to the commission. 
While in Mexico, Austin sent a letter back to Texas telling- 
the Americans to organize all of their settlements and form a 
State. For this advice the Mexican authorities made him a. 



550 PIONEER HISTORY OF INDIANA. 

prisoner and held him for three months in a vile prison and a 
much longer time than that he was held under close scrutiny 
of the Mexican police. He returned to Texas in 1835 and at 
once organized a revolutionar}- army. He induced Sam 
Houston, who had recently emigrated to that section (after 
having resigned his governorship in Tennessee in disgust) to 
take command of his army, while he (Austin) went to the 
United States as a commissioner for the purpose of creating 
an interest among the people to espouse the cause of the new 
Republic of Texas, which had adopted the "Lone Star" as 
the emblem of the Republic. 

Austin did not succeed in his mission as well as he ex- 
pected. He returned to Texas in 1836 and died very soon af- 
terward. 

After the death of Austin there was no head of the 
Texan arm}'. The members of the provincial government 
held a meeting and elected Houston as Commander-in-Chief 
of the Texan army. Soon after this he received a letter 
from Travis from the Alamo notifying him that they were 
besieged by a large army of Mexicans. On the sixth of 
March a letter received from Colonel Travis was read in the 
convention and was the last express which ever left the 
Alamo. Houston, with a small force, immediately started to 
reinforce the besieged arm}^ but when he arrived there, the 
Alamo had fired its last gun and its brave defenders had met 
their fate, among whom were some men of national reputation. 

Soon after this, Houston, with his army, was attacked 
by a well-appointed army under General Santa Anna at San 
Jacinto. After a desperate battle, the Americans fighting 
the enemy ten to one, routed the Mexican army and captured 
Santa Anna and his chief officers. An agreement was made 
with Santa Anna and his officers, who were prisoners, that 
the Mexican army should evacuate Texas, and the independ- 
ence of the Republic of Texas was granted by the fallen chief of 
the Mexican army. The Mexican Congress ignored the action of 
Santa Anna and its provisions were left unratified on the part 
of Mexico, but the action of the Mexican Republic, after hav- 
ing to submit to the heroic soldiers of Texas, was recognized by 



PIONEER HISTORY OF INDIANA. 551 

the powers and the new Republic of Texas was recognized by 
many nations, and subsequently by an annexation became a 
part of the United States. This action enrag-ed the Mexican 
people and they sought by many means to annoy the people 
of Texas, which had become part of the United States. 

President James K. Polk, being aware of the trouble in 
Texas by the threatening attitude of Mexico, sent General 
Zachary Taylor, in command of a small army, into the south- 
west and to post his army in Texas on the Mexican border. 
At the same time the American war vessels were sent to the 
Gulf of Mexico. 

In November, 1846, General Taylor had taken his posi- 
tion at Corpus Christi, Texas, with about four thousand 
men. He was ordered to advance his force to the Rio 
Grande. Accordingly he proceeded and stationed himself on 
the north bank of that river within cannon shot of the Mexi- 
can town of Matamoris. General Taylor had actually in- 
vaded the Mexican territory. 

INDIANA OFFICERS IN THE MEXICAN WAR. 

First Regiment — Colonel, James P. Drake; Lieutenant- 
Colonels, Henry S. Lane, Christian C. Nave; Major, William 
Donaldson; Surgeon, Caleb V. Jones; Assistant Surgeon, Wil- 
liam Fosdick; Adjutant, William E. Pearsons. 

Second Regiment — Colonels, William A. Bowles, Joseph 
Lane; Lieutenant-Colonel, William R. Haddon; Major, James 
A. Cravens; Surgeon, Daniel S. Lane; Assistant Surgeon, 
John T. Walker; Adjutants, Lucien Q. Hoggatt, David C. 
Shanks. 

Third Regiment — Colonel, James H. Lane; Lieutenant- 
Colonel, William M. McCarty; Major, Willis A. Gorman; 
Surgeon, James S. Athon; Assistant Surgeon, John D. Dunn; 
Adjutants, Herman H. Barbour, Harrison Daily. 

Fourth Regiment — Colonel, Willis A. Gorman; Lieuten- 
ant-Colonel, Ebenezer Dumont; Major, William W. McCoy; 
Surgeon, Isaac Finley; Assistant Surgeon, J. M. Brower; Ad- 
jutants, Edward Cole, Martin M. Van Deusen. 

Fifth Regiment — Colonel, James H. Lane; Lieutenant- 



552 PIONEER HISTORY OF INDIANA. 

Colonel, Allen May; Major, John M. Myers; Assistant Sur- 
geons, Philip G. Jones, R. A. McClure; Adjutant, John M. 

Lord. 

— From History of the Mexican War, 

By Gen. Cadmus M. Wilcox. 



The brilliant career of General Taylor and his many vic- 
tories over the Mexicans will be left for the reader to find in 
the histories of the United States. 

The United States declared v^ar with Mexico in May, 
1846. Placing- $10,000,000.00 at the President's disposal, 
authorizing- him to accept 50,000 volunteers. The g-reater 
part of the summer of 1846 was spent in preparations for 
war, it being resolved to invade Mexico at several points. 

It was during Governor Whitcomb's administration that 
a call was made for five reg-iments of infantry to serve for 
three years or during- the war. The record made by the sol- 
diers of Indiana in that war was honorable. General Joseph 
Lane, the commander of one of the reg-iments, was made a 
Brigadier-General and by brevette a Major-General for gal- 
lantr}^ and after returning- home was made Governor of the 
State of Oreg-on. He was elected United States Senator from 
that State for one term, and in 1860 was nominated for Vice- 
President on the ticket with John C. Breckinridge from Ken- 
tucky for President. He died in 1881. 

In the first of 1848, on the part of the United States, war 
with Mexico was brought to a close. The President of the 
Mexican Congress assumed provincial authority and on Feb- 
ruary 2d that body at Guadalupe Hidalgo concluded peace 
with the United States. With slight amendments, that 
treaty was ratified by the Senate of the United States on the 
10th of March and by the Mexican Congress at Queratero on 
the 30th of May. President Polk on the 4th of July follow- 
ing proclaimed peace. The Americans, under the terms of 
the treaty, were to evacuate Mexico within ninety days of 
that date and paid the Mexican Government $3,000,000.00 in 
cash and $12,000,000.00 in three annual installments and as- 



PIONEER HISTORY OF INDIANA. 553 

suraed debts for $3,500,000.00 more, due from Mexico to 
American citizens. These payments were made in considera- 
tion of new accessions of territory-, which gave the United 
States not only Texas, but Arizona, New Mexico and Upper 
California. The war had cost the United States, approxi- 
mately. 825,000.000.00 and 25,000 men. 

While these negotiations were under way, Colonel Sutter 
had beg-un the erection of a mill at Calona, on the American 
branch of the Sacramento river. On the third day of Jan- 
uary one of his hands, named George Marshall, who was en- 
gaged in digging a race-way for the Colonel's mill, found a 
metal which he had not seen before. On testing it, he found 
that it was gold. This was sent to Sacramento and tested 
and found to be pure gold. 

As soon as these discoveries became known, throughout 
the country there was a great emigration started for that 
part of California, and in a short time after that they were 
arriving in vast multitudes from all parts of America and 
from many places in foreign countries. Many thousands- 
crossed the great western plains and the Rocky mountains 
with ox team^ and on foot, and yet many more thousands 
crossed the Isthmus of Dairen. All of these emigrants en- 
countered extreme difficulties before the}' arrived in that 
far-off countr}'. While these emigrants were arriving, there 
was a steady procession of ships full of emigrants, provisions 
and supplies passing around the horn and up the coast of 
South America and Mexico to the Eldorado. In less than 
two years the population of California increased 100,000, and 
still they were coming in vast numbers. 

During these exciting days from 1848 to 1852 there were 
more than 4,000 strong and sturd3^ men from Indiana who 
went to seek their fortunes in California. Many of them 
underwent great privations and many others lost their lives 
in encounters with the wild savage on the plains. In the 
latter part of the fifties, the old "forty-niners" who had gone 
to California from Indiana were found in every town, mining 
camp and on many ranches in California. and. Nevada. Many 
of these men were successful in their search for gold, and 



554 PIONEER HISTORY OF INDIANA. 

every part of Indiana has men yet or can recall those who re- 
turned home with a competency and invested their means in 
farms or business ventures, while perhaps a majority of those 
who went from Indiana were unsuccessful or spent their 
hard-earned means in dissipation or gambling, as every other 
house in the towns of California and Nevada in that early 
day was a gambling- den. 

This new acquisition of Territory opened the slavery 
<iuestion, in which Governor Whitcomb expressed himself as 
•opposed to any further extension of slavery. Governor Whit- 
comb's administration was in the interest of good govern- 
ment, and his wise actions in the affairs of State did much to 
redeem the public credit, and his management of the compro- 
mise where the State turned over the incomplete public works 
in payment for claims against the government, was so well 
managed that the State was again placed upon a sound finan- 
cial footing in the nation. Governor Whitcomb in Decem- 
ber, 1848, was elected to represent the State in the United 
States Senate, and Lieutenant-Governor Paris C. Dunning 
was Acting Governor until December, 1849, when Joseph A. 
Wright was inaugurated. During his administration the in- 
completed public works which the State retained were again 
pushed forward with vigor. 

In 1850 Governor Wright indorsed the compromise meas- 
ure on the slavery question, and in his message that year 
■said: "Indiana takes her stand in the ranks not of southern 
destiny nor yet of northern destiny. She plants herself on 
the basis of the Constitution and takes her stand in the ranks 
■of American destiny." 

It was during his administration that the second Consti- 
tutional Convention was held and a new Constitution adopted. 
Governor Wright's administration ranks with the best of 
Indiana's Governors. During the time he was Governor 
many important measures were placed on solid footing that 
have proved a great blessing to Indiana. The free school 
system, by enactment of the new Constitution, was started on 
its great mission of usefulness. 



CHAPTER XXVI, 



Indian Barbakity and the Prodigal's Return — This 
Chapter is Given to Show One of Many Spies That 
THE Anti-Slavery People Had on All Strangers 
During the Fifties. 



INDIAN barbarity. 

In 1798 a party of Kickapoo Indians had been on a raid 
to Kentuck)' and captured two 3'oung- men and a negro man 
who belonged to one of the white prisoners. On their return 
to the Kickapoo town, near the Wabash, the}- had camped at 
night near a small creek, which was a fork of Harve3''s creek, 
a short distance north of where Union, Pike Count3% now 
stands, During the night a large hunting part}- of Shawnee 
Indians came into the Kickapoo camp. The next morning 
the Shawnees, being much stronger, demanded that the 
negro be turned ov-er to them. There was a long wrangle 
about this. Finally the Shawnees agreed if they would burn 
the two white men they would let them keep the negro. 
This the Kickapoos consented to do, but it was stipulated 
that they should have charge of all the ceremony which was 
used when the prisoners were burned at the stake. The 
prisoners, b}' sign, were informed of the ordeal which they 
had to undergo. It was decided that the two men should run 
the gauntlet, and if they got through alive, they would then 
be burned. The sub-chief of the Kickapoos in charge acted 
as master of ceremonies. 

The two white prisoners were taken out some distance 
from the camp, untied, and were informed by signs that they 
had to run between the two lines of Indians formed and to a 
tree near the camp. Newton Bowles was the first to run. 



556 PIONKETJ HISTORY OF INDIANA. 

After being- severely' switched, he succeeded in g-etting- to the 
tree. The other 3'oung man, who was an athlete, was or- 
dered by motions to run. He made two or three bounds to- 
ward the line of Indians, then sprang to one side and ran as 
swift as a deer, outdistancing the Indians and got home. 
After the angr}' Indians returned from the chase, his partner 
in misfortune was burned at the stake b}' a slow fire. 

The negro was sold to the British in Canada, made his 
escape and returned to Kentucky. 

Some years afterward John Conger, with the negro who 
had been given his freedom and with James Bowles, came 
from Louisville on the old Indian trace. Arriving- at White 
Oak Springs, now Petersburg, Indiana, he induced Woolsey 
Pride, a Mr. Tislow and a Mr. Miley to g-o with them and lo- 
cate the Indian camp where the young- man, Newton Bowles, 
was burned. After getting- into the neighborhood they 
spent some time before they could locate Harvey creek, then 
went up the creek to a fork which ran to the west; then up 
that to another fork not far from where Bethlehem Church is 
now located. They found a camp and the negro showed 
them the place where Bowles was burned. 

The writer came into possession of this data showing the 
creek and the place of execution, and b}" the request of some 
persons at Kvansville, Indiana, attempted to locate the exact 
spot, so that the relatives could erect a monument to the 
memory of Newton Bowles. 

"the prodigal's return." 

In 1858, in company with Mr. Solomon Peed, the writer 
went to the Bethlehem Church and was several hours in that 
neighborhood looking- over the country, and found a place 
which corresponded with the drawing-, but could not find 
anything which located the exact place. They were resting 
and sitting on a log when Mr. Peed related to the author 
this story: 

Many years ago James Crow, who was an old Indian 
fighter, settled on a small tract of land near the farm of 
James Oliphant, now belonging to Col. W. A. Oliphant, near 



PIONEER HISTORY OF INDIANA. 557 

Union, Pike County, Indiana. They had several children, 
and sometime in the forties James Crow died, leaving a son 
and three daughters. Young- Jim was a shiftless sort of 
say-nothing boy and did not provide much for his mother and 
sisters. 

In 1849 the California gold fever ran high and many 
went from all sections of the country. One morning Jim was 
missing. No one knew where he had gone; no word was 
heard from him and the family mourned him as dead. One 
Saturday in 1854 an elegantly dressed stranger, with a black 
glossy beard which came down to his waist, came to the 
widow Crow's house and asked for lodging for the night. 
After some parleying he was permitted to stay. He was ver}' 
silent and did not say anything about himself. The next 
morning he asked permission to remain until Monday. The 
Crows were devoted church people and thej' invited the 
stranger to accompany them to Bethlehem Church to hear 
Rev. Louis "Wilson preach. He consented to go and went 
along with the girls, not selecting any particular one of them 
to walk with. After church was out all the people shook 
hands and inquired after each other's health (as persons did 
in those daysj. Many inquired of the girls who the hand- 
some stranger was, to which they answered that they did not 
know. They started along the path, the stranger walking 
along by the side of the youngest girl. \vho was about sixteen 
years old. 

At that time there was great excitement in southern In- 
diana about the fugitive slave law and about many southern 
people who were constantl}' coming to Indiana hunting for 
their negroes. The Rev. Wilson was a very strong anti- 
slavery man and suggested to some of his friends that the 
stranger was a negro hunter and it would be well to keep a 
watch on his actions. Two gentlemen volunteered to look 
after him. The stranger, with the youngest of the Crow 
girls, had arrived at a point in the path opposite the house of 
Colonel Oliphant's father. He took this time and oppor- 
tunity of telling her that he was her brother Jim and re- 
minded her of many things which took place when she was 



558 PIONEKR HISTORY OF INDIANA. 

younger. This convinced her that it was her brother, and 
with a cry she caug-ht him around the neck and kept on call- 
ing out that it was her brother. The two older girls came 
running back and the two men who were to keep watch over 
the stranger hurried up. The girl was so excited that she 
could not tell anything and the gathering crowd became very 
threatening. One man took a hand-spike and was in the act 
of striking the supposed stranger, when the young girl 
caught his arm and prevented the blow. The young man 
finally oonvinced all that he was the long lost Jim. That 
day at the widow Crow's the fattlings were killed and the 
3'oung prodigal was welcomed home and feasted on the best 
that could be procured. He gave each of the girls two fifty 
dollars, eight square gold slugs, and to his mother he gave 
six of the slugs. He remained at his mother's a month or so 
and as quietly as before slipped away and never was heard of 
again. No doubt he met the usual fate of young men of that 
period, either being killed by Indians or murdered for his. 
money. 



CHAPTER XXVII. 



The Experience of Two Young Boys with Two Bear 
Cubs — The Amusing Stoky of How Hogs Were In- 
duced to Return to their Own Range. 



In the earl}' twenties two young- bo3's, one sixteen and 
the other fourteen years old, came to Princeton with their 
uncle, Robert Stockwell, from Pennsylvania, as he returned 
from one of his trips after goods. 

Mr. David Johnson was often about Stockwell's store and 
the boys became greatly attached to him, as all boys did. He 
told them of many hunting adventures. The boys would go 
home with him and stay for weeks at a time. They always 
wanted to go on a hunting tour with him, but he kept putting- 
them off. Finally he told them that if they would wait until 
the mast .fell and the bears became fat, they should go with 
him on a regular bear hunt. 

The time came at last and the three started, taking two 
horses. Uncle Dave rode one and the two boys the other, 
double. They had gone five or six miles away, when a large 
bear was seen running away from them. Uncle Dave told 
the boys to gfo to a place in sight and not to leave there un- 
der any circumstances until he returned. They tied their 
horse and had been waiting for a long time when, on walking^ 
around, they saw two little animals wrestling much as boys 
do, rolling and tumbling over each other. They did not have 
the least idea what they were, but slipped up as close as they 
could and made a rush to catch them, which they found hard 
to do, as the little cubs were much more nimble than they 
looked. They chased them around over chunks and brush. 
Finally one of them ran into a hollow log and the little hoy 



560 PIONEER HISTORY OF INDIANA. 

crawled in after it. The older bo}' was still chasing the 
other little bear and finally caught it, when it set up a whin- 
ing noise and the same time scratched and bit him. In a few 
minutes he heard the brush cracking, and looking up, saw the 
old bear coming at him with full force. He let the cub go 
and climbed up a little tree, fortunatel}' too small for the 
bear to climb. She would rear up on the tree as though she 
intended to climb it and snarl and snort at the bo}', who was 
dreadfully scared. About this time the boy in the log had 
squeezed himself so he could reach the cub, whereupon it set 
up another cry. The old bear left the treed boy and ran to 
the log and over and around it, uncertain where the noise 
came from. She commenced to tear away the wood, so she 
could get to her cub, but she was too large to get more than 
her head in the hole. The boys were thus imprisoned for 
more than two hours, when a shot was fired not far ofif. The 
bo}' up the tree set up a terrible hallooing, and it was but a 
little time until Uncle Dave came in sight. The boy ex- 
plained the situation to him and soon a second shot killed the 
•old bear. The 3"oung bear was caught and tied and the little 
bo}' came out of the log, dragging the other cub, which they 
also tied. The}^ were taken home and the boys made great 
pets of them. 

Mr. Johnson understood the ways of animals other than 
bear or deer. About sixty years ago there was a great 
amount of mast in his neighborhood and he was fattening a 
hundred head of hogs on it. A Mr. Young, from near 
Princeton, was in that section hunting and saw this abund- 
ance of mast and determined to have the benefit of some of it. 
He went home and brought a large drove of hogs and turned 
them loose by the side of Mr. Johnson's farm. This was a 
little more than Uncle Dave would put up with, so he deter- 
mined to get rid of the hogs without killing them, for he 
and Young were friends, as all old settlers were. The hogs 
bedded on a hill not far from the house, so he watched them 
until he found out that a large sandy sow was the leader of 
the gang. Nicholas Warrick, a boy whom he had brought 
up, John C. White and William Skelton were working for 



PIONEER HISTORY OP^ INDIANA. 561 

him. Late one afternoon Uncle Dave went to the place 
where the farm hands were cribbing corn and told them that 
they need not go out for another load that evening-. He said, 
*'Nick, 3'ou know that old blue-spotted hound. Bounce, has 
been sucking eggs all summer, and your mother has com- 
plained to me several times, so I have decided to kill it. You 
and John will take him back of the barn and after you have 
killed him, you skin him as carefully as if you intended to 
stretch and dry the hide. Be sure that you leave the long 
flap ears and tail on the hide.' Bill. 3'ou go and make me a 
good number of strong wax ends and bring the sack needle." 
After everything was ready, the boys with the dogs 
caught the old sow and sewed the dog skin on her hard and 
fast. When completed. Uncle Dave said, "Bo)'s, turn her 
loose." She made a rush to get awa.v, with her hound ears 
and tail flopping. She ran to the hogs and they became 
frightened and ran awa}' and the transformed hog after 
them. The next morning Mr. Young found his hogs at 
home. 



CHAPTER XXVIII. 



Kidnapping Free Negroes — Kidnapping of Reube at 
Princeton — Liberating Two Negroes Near Prince- 
ton, Indiana — Kidnapping Two Free Negroes Three 
Miles West of Princeton — Attempt to Kidnap a 
Barber at Petersburg, Indiana — Several Attempts 
TO Kidnap Negroes — Dr. John W. Posey and Rev.^ 
Eldridge Hopkins Liberating Two Kidnaped Ne- 
groes — A Slave Hunter Defeated at Kirks Mill 
Bridge in Gibson County — An Attempt to Catch 
Runaway Negroes Ending in a Desperate Battle 
With Wild Hogs — Jerry Sullivan Raid at Dongola 
Bridge — Kidnapping the Gothard Boys — Rev. Hiram 
Hunter Relieving Kidnaped Negroes. 



In all of the territory of the free States adjacent to the 
borders of the slave States during the time after the passage 
of the last fugitive slave law in 1850 up to the commencement 
of the War of the Rebellion, there was great excitement, 
and man)^ thrilling experiences between those having pro and 
anti-slavery views. This was eminently true along the south- 
ern borders of Indiana, Illinois and Ohio. The fugitive slave 
law of 1793 was similar to the agreement inade in 1787, when 
the compact was accepted to forever exclude slavery from the 
Northwest territory. At that time it was considered a just 
agreement, permitting the owners of slaves who lived in any 
of the thirteen colonies to reclaim their slaves who had run 
away from an}' place to the territory that the votes of the 
South had made it possible to be forever free from slavery^ 
But the law passed in 1850 which gave the slaveholders or 
those aiding in catching their runaway slaves, the power to 



PIONEER HISTORY OP" INDIANA. 5f»3 

orgfanize a posse at any point in the United States to aid 
them in this work and made it the duty of police and peace 
officers, from United States marshal down, to at an}' and all 
times assist them in running? down their slaves and imposing" 
heav}' fines and penalties on any one who would refuse to do 
their bidding-. This was so repugnant to many persons that 
it raised a great commotion and there was a determined effort 
made by those opposed to slavery to defeat the enactment of 
this obnoxious law. 

The anti-slavery league of the East had man}' of the 
shrewdest men of the nation in its organization. They had 
a detective and spy system to help those who were assisting 
the runaway slaves to reach Canada. 

The last three years before the rebellion of the South, 
slaveowners rarely ever captured a runaway. These young- 
men had various occupations jit which they worked, mostly 
book and other sort of agencies; some were school teachers. 
They always had the same political opinion as the majority 
had where they were assigned. Those who were regular 
spies were apparently intensely pro-slavery and made up 
and were yokefellows with all the negro hunters in the terri- 
tory in which they worked. The Southern slavedrivers, with 
their whips and handcuffs in evidence of their occupation, 
were so often seen passing through the country that our 
people became familiar with iheir bantering, haughty ac- 
tions and the loud and swaggering manner of their dress. 
Their handbills were posted at every crossroad, with the pic- 
ture of a negro with a budget on his back, giving a descrip- 
tion of his age, height and special marks, and ottering a re- 
ward for his capture. 

About the year 1851 an old negro man nimed Stephen- 
son came to see the author's father, who was largely inter- 
ested in farming, to have him keep his boys, one fourteen, 
one twelve and the other ten years old, for him un'iil he could 
make arrangements to start for Liberia. This my father 
agreed to do. It was spring time and the boys helped with 
the work. Things went on that season and the old man had 
no chance to get awav and work was well under way for the 



564 PIONEER HISTORY OF INDIANA. 

second season. Old man Stephenson had come to this coun- 
try from South Carolina with Dr. Samuel McCulloug-h about 
the middle of the forties. He was a free man, but married a 
slave and bought her freedom. The)- had lived in the same 
neig-hborhood for several 3'ears. until his wife died. One 
evening-, just as the work was over for the da3^ the colored 
bo3"s were doing up the work around the barn. Two men 
rode up to the front of the house and called to the author's 
father, who was sitting on the porch, sa^'ing that they 
wanted to see him. They told him the}' had a description of 
three colored boys who were born in South Carolina who were 
slaves, and had called to see him about it. as they had learned 
he had three colored boys working for him. 

These two fellows, no doubt, had a confederate in the 
neighborhood who had'given them a perfect description of 
the bo3'S. My father talked" to them awhile, not having the 
least idea who they were, and evidentl}- they did not know 
him. or they would have been the last fellows to come there 
on such a mission. He excused himself to go into the house 
for something. They waited for him to return, which he did 
with his bear gun. "Old Vicksburg." in his hands. 

The}' commenced to plead with him to let there be no 
difficulty. He told them that there was not the slightest 
danger of any trouble. He wanted them to see what sort of 
a machine he guarded the boys with, and said to them, "Do 
3'ou see that little house?" point>ing to a room in our yard. 
"The three bo3's sleep there, and if they are disturbed, I will 
kill fifteen such worthless vagabonds as you are before 3'OU 
get them, fugitive law or any other law. And I want to say, 
before I get mad, that 3'Ou had better go, for you ma3' get 
into danger." He cocked the big gun and said, "I feel it 
coming on — go and go quick." 

They took him at his word and the3' went in a hurr3'. 
He waited until they had gone about seventy-five yards away, 
when he turned loose at them, intending to shoot just above 
their heads. At the crack of that monster gun they la}' 
down on their horses' necks and made as good time as did the 
best mounted F. F. V. when Sheridan's cavalry was after them. 



PIONEER HISTORY OF INDIANA. 565 

The boys remained with us for nearly three years before 
they got away to Liberia, and that was the last we ever 
heard of the men hunting' for them. 

The next year my father made the race for the Lej^isla- 
ture. One of these fellows — who was a hotel-keeper at 
Petersburg-, Indiana ^- went into Gibson County . to work 
against him. He told the people that father was a blood- 
thirsty man and that he did not regard the life of a man 
more than he would the life of a bear. It was evident he had 
struck the wrong crowd. They demanded that he tell them 
of one instance where he had shown such a disposition. He 
told them that two friends of his had gone to father's house 
to see about some runaway negroes and that he threatened 
their lives, and as they went away shot at them. This dis- 
gruntled fellow was laughed out of the township for his 
meddling. 

THE KIDNAPPING OF KEUBE AT PRINCETON, INDIANA. 

In 1817 William Barrett moved to this state from Ten- 
nesee and settled in what is now southwestern Columbia 
township, Gibson county, Indiana. He had formerly lived 
in the state of South Carolina and moved from there to Ten- 
nesee in 1804. 

Some j'ears after they reached Indiana, a negro man 
named Reube, who had formerl}' been a slave of Mr. Jacob 
Sanders (but had been freed for having saved his master's 
life) came on from South Carolina with a relinquishment 
paper for Mrs. Barrett to sign for her part of her father's es- 
estate. Reube remained for nearly a year; the winter 
weather was too cold for him and he had determined to go 
back before another winter set in. John W. Barrett, a son 
of William, at that time a large, gawky boy about eighteen 
years old and six feet eight inches tall, went with Reube on 
man3' a fishing and hunting adventures. When it came 
time for Reube to start back John took him over to Princeton 
and led the horse which he had ridden back home. Reube 
intended to go from there to Evansville with the first passing 
team that went that wa}'. 



566 PIONEER HISTORY OF INDIANA. 

The act which g-ave Reube his freedom was a heroic one. 
There was a maniac in that section of South Carolina who at 
times became very desperate and was kept in confinement in 
such a place as the authorities had for that purpose. He was 
very sly and cunning- and stepping- up back of Mr. Sanders 
pinioned his hands behind him and threw him on the ground 
and with a large knife attempted to cut his throat. Reube, 
being in the garden nearby saw his master's peril and run- 
ning up behind the maniac struck him at the butt of his ear 
with a hoe and felled him to the ground. Mr. Sanders said 
*'Reube, from this day on yoa are a free man and I will at 
once make out your free papers." He told him to stay on the 
place if he wanted to for as long a time as suited him and he 
would pay him for all the work he did. The papers were 
made out and in giving him his freedom a full history of the 
reason was given and they were recorded. To make it cer- 
tain that no one would disturb Reube, Mr. Sanders had a full 
history of the case t-ngraved on a gold plate; also had a 
g-old chain attached to the gold plate that went around 
his neck so that it was easy at any time if the patrols 
stopped him to show the certificate on the plate. Mr. Bar- 
ret's family heard nothing of Reube for two or three years. 
Finally Mr. Sanders wrote to his niece Mrs. Barrett, asking 
her wh}' Reube did not come back. 

In 1832 Col. James W. Cockrum bought the steamboat 
Nile and intended to run her up the Yazoo river and other 
small rivers to bring the cotton out and carry it to New Or- 
leans. John W. Barrett, a brother-in-law, was made clerk of 
the boat and had charge of the freight. At one landing on 
the Yazoo river there was a large quantity of cotton to be 
loaded and the planters were still delivering from the farms. 
Young Barrett was on the deck tallying as the mate and 
deck hands were putting the cargo aboard when a colored 
man came near him and said: "Mr. Barrett, don't you know 
me? I am Reube who hunted with you in Indiana. Don't 
let on you know me." Barrett did know him and was greatl}^ 
surprised at thus meeting- him. Finally he got a chance and 
told Reube to roll a bale of cotton behind the cabin stairs. 



PIONEER HISTORY OF INDIANA. 567 

Reube told him that his master was on the bank and it was 
not safe for them to be seen talking- tog-ether. The planter 
whom Reube called his master had a larg-e amount of cotton 
and was watching the count of the bales and his slaves were 
helping to load it in order that the)' might finish before 
night. During the loading Barrett had several chances to 
sa}' a word to Reube. There was a wood jard some miles be- 
low where the boat would stop to take on wood. Reube said 
he would be down there when the boat came as it would be 
some hours after night and when the boat rounded to Reube 
was read)' to load wood as soon as it was measured. Barrett 
watched his chance and took Reube down in the hold and se- 
creted him there and looked after him. They got to New 
Orleans, unloaded the cotton and took on a lot of government 
freight for the upper Arkansas river to one of the military 
outposts. Reube was still in hiding-, no one but the clerk be- 
ing- aware of his presence on board. 

While they were unloading the government freight Bar- 
rett went to the commander of the fort and told the history 
of Reube and all about his being- kidnapped and being- sold 
into slavery to a Mississippi planter on the Yazoo river. As 
fortune would have it the commander was a New England 
man and felt indignant at the outrageous treatment the poor 
negro had received and assured Barrett that he would keep 
him in his employ at good wag-es until he had an opportunity 
to send him back to South Carolina, which he did. About a 
year afterward the Barrett family received a letter from Mr. 
Sanders telling of Reube's arrival home. Mr. John W. Bar- 
rett told me in 1854, the last time he was ever in Indiana, 
that after he left Reube at Princeton he had no opportunity 
to get away to Evansville until about the middle of the next 
day. He was making inquiry of some people if they knew of 
any team which was going to Evansville. Reube was very 
fond of showing his gold certificate of freedom; finally two 
men told him they were g:oing- to Evansville that evening but 
they could not get away before the middle of the afternoon 
and made an agreement that he could go with them by cook- 
ing for them on the road and after they got there. Reube 



568 PIONEER HISTORY OF INDIANA. 

readily agreed to this since the}' told him that the}' had some 
thought of going on to Tennesee. 

They finally started, and after staying a day or so at 
Evansville (which then was only a small place), they started 
on the Tennessee trip. They made it convenient to go west 
in Tennessee and on to Memphis. They told Reube, whom 
they had been very kind to, that in a day or so they would go 
to North Carolina, and in doing so would pass near his home 
if he wanted to go with them, but the next place they went 
to was the Yazoo river. There they took Reube's gold plate 
and papers from him and sold him to the planter with whom 
Barrett found him. 

(The data for the following story was furnished by Gen- 
eral Neeley): 

Harvey Montgomery was the seventh child of Judge 
Isaac Montgomery. Why James T. Tartt, in his Gibson 
County History, failed to give his name when giving the his- 
tory of the rest of the family, I do not know. I want to 
record it here that he was a noble-hearted, pure man. 

I was a young boy when I knew him best, and he was ray 
ideal of an upright. Christian gentleman. Early in life one 
of his legs was broken, and in setting it, was left in such a 
shape that it became very crooked and he was never able to 
do heavy work. He lived with his father at his home two 
miles southeast of Oakland City. Indiana, until he married. 
He then settled on a quarter section just north of his father, 
where he spent his life. 

The Judge owned a farm near Princeton at the time he 
lived on his farm in eastern Gibson County and cultivated 
both farms. 

At one time Harvey and Joseph, who was the third child 
of Judge Montgomery, and a hand working for them named 
McDeeman, had two loads of produce — venison, hams, hides 
and bear bacon — which they were taking to Robert Stockwell 
at Princeton. Joseph at that time lived on what was after- 
ward the Richey farm, about one-half mile west of his father. 
He was a very large man and was known far and near as one 
of the strongest men, physically, who ever lived in that section. 



PIONEER HISTORY OF INDIANA. 569 

As they were jjfetting- within about two miles of Prince^ 
ton and after climbinjf a hill, the}- stopped to let their ox 
teams rest and heard a loud noise as of men in a wrangle. 
Joseph Montgomery and McDeeman left Harvey with the 
teams, and taking their guns, went to find out what the noise 
was about. When they got to the parties making the noise, 
they found two negroes handcuffed together and a white man 
was beating one of the negroes with a heav}' stick. 

Montgomery, who was as fearless as strong, with Mc- 
Deeman, rushed up to the place where the trouble was and asked 
the man with a club what in "hades" he meant by beating the 
man with such a bludgeon. There were two white men and one 
of them became very insulting, telling Montgomer}' the}' 
were beating their own property and it was none of his busi- 
ness. One of the negroes cried out, "Oh, that is Mr. Mont- 
gomery! Don't you know me? I am Pete, who kept your 
camp at the bear's den." 

Montgomery did know him. The bully had the club 
drawn back to hit Pete, when Montgomery leaped like a 
panther and hit the fellow at the butt of the ear and com- 
pletely knocked him out. At this the other kidnapper started 
to draw a large knife, when McDeeman, who was a full- 
fledged Irishman, raised his gun and said, "On your worth- 
less life, don't move your hand. If you so much as bat your 
eye, I will shoot it out of your head." They took the key 
away from them, freed the negroes, put the handcuffs on the 
kidnappers, gave the two negroes the clubs and marched the 
two men up to the wagons and on into Princeton. Montgom- 
ery tried to have the kidnappers put in jail until court would 
set. The old Justice before whom they brought the proceed- 
ings was thoroughly in sympathy with slavery, and he vir- 
tually there made the same decision that Chief Justice Tanny 
did thirty years afterwards. It was as follows: 

"There is no evidence that the two men kidnaped the 
negroes except the statement made by the negroes. The evi- 
dence of a negro has no force in court which could affect a 
white man." 

They were set at liberty. They were so much elated 



570 PIONEER HISTORY OF INDIANA. 

■over being freed from the charg-e that thej' proceeded to fill 
up with whisk}' and hunted up Montgomery and raised a 
quarrel with him, but he gave both of them at the same time 
such a thrashing that they were glad to get away. 

Along in the twenties a man by the name of Sawyer, 
from North Carolina, laid a lot of land warrants on some rich 
land west of Petersburg, in Pike County, Indiana. Soon af- 
terward he died. A year or two later the family moved to the 
land and brought with them a negro, who had always been in 
the family with them, and who cleared up a portion of the 
land and raised corn on it. This negro became acquainted 
with a negro woman who lived with the famil}^ of Judge 
Montgomery at his eastern Gibson Count}' home. After a 
time the two colored people were married, but continued to 
live at the homes of the white people they were with, with 
the exception of a weekly visit made by the colored man to 
his wife. 

One day this man went to a mill some distance away for 
the Sawyers and was never seen afterward. He was kid- 
naped and sold into slavery at Natchez, Mississippi. Thomas 
Montgomery, a son of the Judge, went down the river to 
New Orleans some years after this and he was told by some 
negroes at Natchez that the negro lived for only about three 
years, but during that time he was ever lamenting the loss of 
his wife, who, he said, lived at Judge Montgomery's. 

About 1825 Mathias Mount settled on a farm near Peters- 
iburg, Indiana. He brought a little colored girl with him to 
his new home, where she remained about three years. She 
iwas sent to the house of a neighbor on an errand and was 
never seen hy the Mount family afterward. No doubt she 
was kidnaped by some of the human vultures who were 
always on the watch for such a chance. About Petersburg 
and the country south of there to the Ohio river, there were 
many of these slave-hunting hounds in human form always 
•watching for a ''runaway nigger," as they termed them. 
The long-haired gentry from the South, with their whips and 
■shackles, were yoke-fellows well mated with these Northern 
confederates. 



PIONEER HISTORY OF INDIANA. 571 

In 1822 two negro men came to what is now the city of 
Princeton hunting- for work. The}' were hired by General 
Wm. Embree to work on a farm two or three miles west of 
Princeton that he owned. They were good hands and wo ked 
on the same farm for two years, living in a small log cabin on 
the farm and doing their own culinary work. One of the 
men could read and write and often borrowed books from peo- 
ple in Princeton to read. When the work season was over 
they put in most of their time before corn would be ready to 
gather in hunting for game, which was very abundant. 

The summer's work for the second year was over and the 
men were gone hunting. One morning late in the summer 
some one found tacked on the cabin door a short note saying 
they had gone to the Ohio river to cut cord wood until the 
corn would do to gather and this was the last time they were 
ever seen on the farm. 

Some years later General Embree was in the cit}' of New 
Orleans and found these two men working on the levee roll- 
ing freight. They told him that two men whom they had 
seen several times in Princeton came to their cabin early in 
the evening and handcuffed them and by daylight the next 
morning they were at the Ohio river, which they crossed on 
a raft into Kentucky, going down to Henderson. After 
waiting a few days a boat came and the}' were carried to New 
Orleans where they were sold into slavery. 

Mr. Embree went to a lawyer and told his story and had 
proceedings brought to liberate the two negroes. The inves- 
tigation developed that they were sold into slavery to James 
Lockwell by two men named Absalom Tower and Thomas 
Slaven and they had been for more than three years the prop- 
erty of Lockwell. As no complaint had been made during 
that time the judge refused to release them. 

Dr. J. R. Adams, of Petersburg, tells this story of a bar- 
ber who came to Petersburg and opened a barber shop. One 
of the human vultures who were ever ready to kidnaj) the 
poor negroes, sent off and had a correct description of the 
barber made and sent back to him. He and another confed- 
•erate at Washington, Indiana, who brought a stranger with 



572 PIONEER HISTORY OF INDIANA. 

him who claimed to own the barber and who said he was his 
negro, producing- a handbill that gave a perfect description of 
the barber in which a reward of two hundred dollars was of- 
fered for his re-capture, claiming that he had run away from 
Tennessee some three years before. 

These villains were preparing to start for the south with 
the poor barber when Dr. Adams brought proceedings to lib- 
erate him. The doctof through an attorney delayed proceed- 
ings until he could send a runner to Vincennes and get Rob- 
ert LaPlant, who swore that the negro was born in a small 
house in his father's yard in Vincennes, that the mother and 
father were in the emplo}^ of his parents at that time and con- 
tinued to work for his father until the barber was nearly 
grown. Dr. Adams swore he had known him as a free negro 
for ten 3'ears. On this strong evidence the young barber was 
liberated. But owing to the prejudice of the time all the 
white villains who tried to do this great wrong were allowed 
to go free. 

In 1822 a negro named Steve Hardin, who had worked 
with Major Robb about his mills for some time was kidnaped 
by a Kentuckian named J. Teal who was visiting south of 
Vincennes, and carried to New Orleans and sold into slave^^^ 
Two years afterwards a man named Pea who lived west of 
Petersburg, Indiana, went down the river and at New Orleans 
met Steve Hardin, with whom he was well acquainted. Pea 
went with the negro to a lawyer's office and told him the ne- 
gro's history and that he was born in Indiana Territory after 
1787. Suit was brought and the negro was given his liberty, 
the judge holding ihat those who were born in the Northwest 
Territory after the ordinance of 1787 were free. 

In 1807 John Warrick, Sr., brought from Kentucky to 
Indiana Territory a negress. When the state constitution 
was adopted Warrick sold this woman to a Kentucky friend, 
who kidnaped her near Owensville, Indiana, and took her to 
his Kentucky home. Parties from the section where she was 
kidnaped instituted proceedings in a Kentucky court for her 
freedom. The court held that it could not recognize the 
theory which held one to be a slave and free at the same time 



PIONEEK HISTORY OF INDIANA. 573 

and further held that the ne^jress was free by being- laken in- 
to Indiana Territory for a residence after the ordinance of 
1787. 

Ill 1784 John Decker brougfht from the state of Virj^inia 
three slaves to Indiana Territory and located just south of 
White river a little east of where the town of Hazelton is 
now situated. These slaves were held by Mr. Decker as his 
property at that point in northern Gibson county and other 
places in that neighborhood until a few days before the adop- 
tion of the state constitution in 18U), when they were kid- 
naped and hurried to the Mississippi country and sold into 
slaver}' where they were found by friends who knew them 
and aided them in securing- their emancipation. The jud^e 
before whom the proceedings for their emancipation was 
brought owned 100 negroes but he decided that the residence 
the negroes had in Indiana Territory made them free. It 
may be proper to note here that these southern decisions < and 
there wei"e man}- such) were made long before there was an}' 
excitement between the southern slavery and northern anti- 
slavery people. 

In 1813 John Judson came to Indiana Territory and 
brought with him two able bodied negro men. Judson made 
a temporary settlement near where the town of Patoka is 
now located. Judson's father had died two years before in 
middle Tennesee and as part of his last will it was stipulated 
that his son John who was his only heir should take the two 
negroes to the territory that was under the ordinance of 1787 
and to leave them and to each he was to give SIOO.OO and a 
note or contract which called for SlOO to be i)aid annually to 
each of the negroes so long as they lived. The money for 
these payments was to be sent to the land office at \'inoennes 
every year. • 

Young Judson left the twu men and before the year was 
out they were missing and were never heard of afterward. 
They were undoubtedly kidnaped and sold into slavery. The 
deposit was made at the land office for several years and was 
final Iv returned to Mr. Judson. 



574 PIONEER HISTORY OF INDIANA. 

DR. JOHN W. POSEY AND REV. ELDRIDGE HOPKINS 

Along- in the early part of the fifties two free negro men' 
who lived in northern Kentucky, not far from Rockport, In- 
diana, had been working on the Wabash and Erie canal be- 
tween Washington and Terre Haute for some time and 
had determined to go to their homes and had got- 
ten as far as Washington on their way there, when they 
fell in with a man who seemed very friendly to them asking 
them where they were going. When the}' told him, he told 
them that he and a friend of his were going in the same di- 
rection nearly to the Ohio river in a wagon and that if they 
wanted to they could go with them and it would not cost 
them anything for the ride; that they would have provision 
with them for the trip and they could assist in preparing it 
but that they would not be ready to start before three or four 
in the afternoon. 

The offer was a very favorable one to the two negroes 
and they gladly accepted it and said they would be at an 
agreed point at the south side of Washington, where the two 
men with the wagon found them. 

They took the Petersburg road and it was late in the 
evening when the}" crossed the White river at the ferry. Mr. 
John Stucky, who crossed at the same time, knew one of the 
white men and at once suspected what he was up to, but 
could not draw him into a conversation and could not get a 
chance to talk to the colored men, as he had to hold his 
horse. He heard them tell the ferryman that they would 
stay all night in a wagon yard in Petersburg. Alter they 
were over, the wagon traveled pretty fast. Mr. Stucky did 
not keep up with it and reached Petersburg some time after 
it had put up at the wagon yard, Stucky hunted up Dr. 
John W. Posev, who was the father of Hon. Frank B. Posey, 
and told him about the white men and negroes that were 
stopping at the wagon yard. The doctor at once understood 
the situation and sent a spy to the wagon yard to see what he 
could find out. The spy soon reported that he found them, 
eating supper and that a noted hotel-keeper was some dis- 
tance away engaged in conversation with one of the men. 



PIONEER HISTORY OF INDIANA. 575- 

He talked with the negroes, who said their homes were in 
Kentucky and that these men were letting them ride in the 
wagfon most of the wa)'. The}- had no evidence, but the doc- 
tor decided to have a watch kept and have the wagon fol- 
lowed to see what developments might come. About two 
hours before da}- the g"uard who had been on watch came hur- 
riedly to the doctor's home and told him they were getting ready 
to start and had their team hitched to a three-seated express 
wagon and that "the hotel man was with them and two other 
fellows whom he did not know. The doctor had three horses 
saddled and sent for a neighbor to ride one of them and one 
of his hired hands rode another and the doctor the third one. 
All three were armed. They sent the guard back to watch 
and report, but the express and men had gone. Mr. Pose}' 
and other men hurried on after them on the Winslow road, 
but did not overtake them, as they had passed through 
Winslow a little after sun-up and thirty minutes ahead of the 
pursuing party. They followed on after them, meeting a 
man about two miles south of Winslow who said he had met 
the express about one mile south of where they were and that 
they had two runaway negroes tied together. As there were 
only three of them and four of the kidnappers, and it was 
supposed that men on such a business would go well armed ^ 
they felt as if they did not have an equal chance, but they 
knew that justice was on their side, so they resolved to fol- 
low on, and when the kidnappers stopped, they would find 
some one legally qualified to try the case and liberate the 
poor negroes. 

About this time they met Rev. Eldridge Hopkins who 
told them that he passed the express but a short mile south 
of where they were and the men inquired of him if he could 
tell them where there was a spring as they wanted to eat an 
early dinner and feed their horses as they were getting fa- 
tig-ued. Hopkins thought nothing of it as men with runaway 
negroes were a common occurrence in those days. Dr. Posey 
told Rev. Hopkins, with whom he was well acquainted, the 
situation and Hopkins, who was in favor of justice and was 
good grit all the way through, offered to pilot them around 



57(. PIONEER HISTORY OF INDIANA. 

the men if they stopped to feed so that the}- would be in front 
of them and could g-o to a Justice on the road a few miles 
ahead and have papers prepared to stop them and release the 
neg'roes. 

Coming: to the road at the point Hopkins intended, they 
found that the express had not passed, but they learned that 
the squire they wanted was away from home and before the}- 
could find a legal lig"ht who could g"ive them the right to stop 
the kidnappers the}- got into Warrick county, where a writ 
was secured. When the express came up a constable halted 
them and marched them into a Justice's court. At first the 
kidnappers were disposed to threaten but by this time quite a 
number of men had gathered around in front of them. These 
fellows were completely nonplussed by the action of Dr. 
Posey. The two negroes were brought into court and told 
their story.* Dr. Posey retold what the colored men told his 
man the night before while one of the while men was eating 
supper with them. The crowd was very much in sympathy 
with the two unfortunates. 

The man who claimed to own them showed a hand bill 
giving a perfect description of the two men and offering a 
reward of two hundred dollars for their recapture dated at a 
point in Tennessee some weeks before. (This hand bill was 
no doubt printed at Washington the day before, while these 
negroes were waiting for their new found friends.) Things 
now began to look pretty bad for the poor negroes. Hopkins 
was a ready talker and he volunteered to defend them and 
made a telling speech in which he had the sympathy of all 
not interested. The old justice was against the negroes and 
he decided that they were nearly all slaves and those who 
claimed their homes in a slave state were all slaves and whereas 
their owner had produced a notice of them that had a perfect de- 
scription and dated several weeks before he would let him 
(the supposed owner) go with his property. 

This infuriated Hopkins and he told Dr. Posey that he 
would see that the men did not get over the Ohio river with 
the negroes. While Mr. Hopking and Dr. Posey were hav- 
ing a consultation, Mr. Hopkins discovered that he had his 



PIONEER HISTORY OF INDIANA. 577 

foot on the hub of a wheel of the express the kidnapi)ers had 
come in and saw that the wheels were held on with linch 
pins and that he could easily get one of them out, which he 
did and put it in his pocket. It was decided that it was best 
for the doctor and his two men to return home. Hopkins 
said that in that crowd he could find all the men he wanted 
to go with him on the raid, so having chosen them, they se- 
cured arms and were soon on the g"o. 

Starting" off in an easterly direction, they soon found a 
road which brought them to the Boonville road and found 
that the express had not passed. They took powder and 
made themselves as black as Nubians; no one would have rec- 
ognized them. Mr. Hopkins thought that the express might 
get some distance before the wheel would come off. 

They waited for a time, but finally started up the road 
and saw the express, with one wheel off, about one mile south 
of where the old squire lived. When they got close to the 
express, they rushed up hurriedly and demanded to know 
what the}' had the negroes tied for. The negroes told them 
that they were kidnaped. The rescuing party leveled their 
guns at the three white men and made them hold up their 
hands. One of them had gone back to look for the linch pin. 
The negroes were untied and the white men searched for 
guns. They found three old pepper box revolvers of a pat- 
tern of that date and several knives. They also found a fine 
rifle in the bottom of the express. The negroes were made 
to tie the three men and they all sat down out of sight until 
the fourth man came back, when he was also tied. They 
then organized a stump court-martial to try the kidnappers. 

The negroes fiist told their story as above related. The 
four men were told that they, one at a time, could tell their 
side of the case. The would-be owner produced the handbills 
that Dr. Posey told Mr. Hopkins were made in Washington. 
Mr. Hoi)kins. who was the leading spokesman, told them that 
this was the case and said that that was the worst feature 
in it. 

The court, after hearing all the evidence, decided that all 
four of them should die, for such villainv was a menace to 



578 PIONEER HISTORY OF INDIANA. 

good order and the peace of societ}', but told them that an>" 
one of them who would tell the whole truth should live. At 
this one of the men commenced to weaken, when the leader 
told him to remember the oath he took when he was hired 
and the penalt)- if he violated that obligation. At this Hop- 
kins took the fellow who seemed ready to tell something away 
from the rest and where they could not hear, and told him 
that if he would tell the whole truth, that his life would be 
spared. On this assurance, he told all he knew. He said 
that the pretended owner lived at Washington, Indiana, and 
that it was intended to carry the negroes to the Mississippi 
country and sell them; that they had agreed to pay him and 
another man whom they hired at Petersburg one hundred 
dollars each to go with them and watch the two negroes until 
they were sold, and that the team belonged to the leader whO' 
pretended to own the negroes. 

Mr. Hopkins took the man back to the party and put the 
negroes guard over them. He then reassembled the court- 
martial and they held another consultation, after which he 
told the white prisoners that they deserved to die for such 
villainy, but they did not want their blood on their hands 
and had decided not to kill them, but they intended to give 
them an object lesson they would remember all the rest of 
their lives. 

Hopkins took the leader and the two negroes out in the 
woods some distance west of the road, cut two good-sized, 
hickory gads and told the negroes to give him twent3'-five 
hard lashes each, which they did with a will; then he untied 
the fellow, who was evidently well whipped, and told him to 
go in a northwest direction and not to stop or look back. 
Then he took the other man from Washington and the two 
negroes to the east side of the road, cut two gads and gave 
him fifty lashes, luitied him and told him to go to the north- 
east and not to stop or look back under penalt}' of being shot. 
The two men who had been hired they gave ten lashes each 
and then turned them loose toward Evansville. Mr. Hopkins 
and his party held a final conference and then had the 
negroes put the wheel on, having given them the linch pin^ 



PIONEER HISTORY OF INDIANA. 579 

The.v decided to turn the team over to the two negroes, with 
the pepper box revolvers and the rifle to defend themselves, 
deciding- that the.v had undergone enough torture to have all 
the spoils. B3' this time it was an hour after dark. The 
two darkies drove awaj' and these rude, but just judges went 
to their homes. 

Some ten da3's after the events above recorded, Mr, Hop- 
kins went to Petersburg and visited Dr. Posey. The}' sent a 
man to Washington to tind out what he could about the two 
villains who attempted the kidnapping. He learned that 
the}' had got back the day after they were so soundly 
thrashed and reported they had fallen in with a band of 
horsethieves, who had beaten them fearfully and taken their 
team and everything else they had. 

Some time after this Mr. Hopkins was working for the 
company that built the first steam mill in Oakland City, get- 
ting out rock for the foundation. In tamping a charge of 
powder it went off prematurely and came very near putting 
his eyes out. He remained for three weeks at my father's 
home perfectly blind, but otherwise in the best of health. 
During that time h.e related this story to my father, giving 
all the details except the names of any but Dr. Posey. My 
father and Dr. Posey were friends and he asked the doctor 
about it. The doctor said that it was the best planned expe- 
diiion of the kind that he had ever heard of. and to the Rev. 
Eldridge Hopkins three-lourths of the credit was due- for its 
succ -ssful ending. 

A SLAVE HUNT TO WA'^CH THK KIRKS MILL BKIDGE. 

Some time late in the summer of 1852 a man rode hur- 
riedly into Princeton, Indiana, covered with dust and his 
horse in such a lather of sweat it showed evidence of hard 
riding. Tied to the back of his saddle were a large whip 
and several cords and hanging to the horn were several pairs 
of handcuffs and a brace of heavy revolvers belted around his 
waist outside his dusty coat. xVltogether he was a tierce- 
looking fellow. 

Dismounting, he tied his horse to the court-yard rack. 



580 PIONEER HISTORY OF INDIANA. 

and hurr)'ing- to the south door of the old court-house, put on 
the bulletin board a notice of three runawa}- negroes, offering- 
a reward of live hundred dollars for their capture. After 
doing this he inquired for the best tavern and had his horse 
taken to the livery stable. He made inquiry if there was 
anyone who would be willing to help him catch the run- 
aways. Some time after he got to the tavern two gentlemen 
who were always boasting of the many times they had en- 
gaged in such work, called on him. offering their services to 
help him catch the runaways. The slaveowner inquired 
about their experience in such business and they informed 
him that they had been in man}- such hunts. He told them 
they would do and if he got the negroes he would divide the 
reward, which was offered between ffve men; that all he 
wanted was their help in catching the rascals. He asked 
them who the other three men would be. There were several 
names mentioned to him of those who would be good help in 
such an undertaking. They mutually agreed on the three 
men, when he enjoined them to secrecy. Onlv those going on 
the raid should know anything about v\-hai they iniended to 
do. After ihis was arranged, it was agreed the ffrst two 
men should come back to the tavern not later than four 
o'clock to let him know if the ihree men selected could be de- 
pended on to go. By thai time he could secure some needed 
rest and they would mature a plan of action for the coming 
night. 

The slaveowner said that he felt certain the runaways 
would pass somewhere near Princeton during the early part 
of the night and aim to cross the Patoka river and get as far 
on toward White river as they could before daylight. He 
thought it best to guard one or two bridges over the Patoka 
and should they fail in capturing them he would organize a 
posse and picket White river at every point where it was 
thought likely they could cross. Pulling a small map from 
his pocket and looking over it for a short time, he pointed out 
a route which he thought they would be most likely to fol- 
low. He pointed to Wheeling ( KirksvilleJ as the place he 
thought the would trv to cross the Patoka river, and said 



PIONEER HISTORY OF INDIANA. 5S1 

tliat he would jro to that i^oint with tlie five men selected and 
watch that bridjje. 

He authorized the two men if they could find any reliable 
persons to yfuard the Columbia bridyfe. for them to do so. as 
it miyfht be possible they would j^-o that way. Biddinj,^ the 
two men «;food-bye. he asked them to be prompt and report at 
the time named. 

That the reader may understand, I will state that the 
slave-huntiny: bullies had made themselves so obnoxious to 
many ji^ood people in and around Princeton, that this boyfus 
slave hunt was inaugurated to teach them a needed lesson. 
The pretended slaveowner was none other than an anti- 
slavery spy and he had five confederates who were well ac- 
quainted with the country and the people. The ones selected 
to ^uard the Wheeling bridge were the most offensive ones in 
that business. The anti-slavery confederates had eijfht 
heavy bombs made at Kratz Sc Heilman's foundry in Evans- 
ville, which would hold about three pounds of pow^der, each 
with a screw attachment so that a time fuse could be put into 
the powder. 

As soon as it was dark the five men, carryinjj the bombs, 
started two hours ahead of the brave nejj^ro catchers. The 
first two bombs were placed near the side of the road in a 
deep hollow about two and a half miles northeast of Prince- 
ton, the next two were placed about t)iree-fourths of a mile 
from the Wheeling bridj^e, and the other four, two on each 
side of the bridjje about sixty or seventy yards away. A man 
was left at each station to fire the fuse at the proper time, 
and the extra man nearly a hundred yards from the bridge 
down the river to command an imaginary battalion. These 
bombs were the real thing- for a great noise. 

At four o'clock the two men were on hand and had the 
names of three men who would go out and watch the Colum- 
bia bridge; also said that the other men of their party would 
be ready at any time set for the start. The slaveowner said 
that he did not care to see the three men who were to go to 
the Columbia bridge, as he thought they had but little 
chance of success, and he authorized the two men to see that 



582 PIONEER HISTORY OF INDIANA. 

the}' went, and for them and the other three of their part}- to 
meet him on the north side of the seminar}' at one hour after 
nig-ht and they would g-o to the Wheeling- bridge. 

The party all assembled on time and then took the 
Wheeling road to the northeast for the bridge. There had 
been an agreed signal between the pretended slaveowner and 
his confederates with the bombs, so he could locate their 
places, and when the bridge-watching party got to the deep 
hollow, Indian creek, a deep, loud voice some way to one side 
said, "Who goes there?" The men stopped and listened for 
some time, but nothing more was heard. The leader turned 
to his posse and said, "Did you let it be known that we were 
g-oing on this hunt?" They all said that they had not. He 
rode around and called several times, but there was no re- 
sponse. 

They then rode ahead and after passing several miles 
came to where the second station was located, when from out 
of the woods to one side of the road, in a deep-sounding 
voice, came the second challenge, "Who goes there?" The 
party stopped and the leader said in a loud voice, "Who are 
you, that you demand who we are?" He waited for some 
time, but there was no more sound heard. The leader, after 
locating the place well, turned to his men and asked if they 
thought it could be possible that the abolitionists would at- 
tempt to defeat their plans. They all said they did not think 
they had any idea of their movements^. The leader said it 
was strange indeed that they should have been twice stopped 
by such an unearthly sound. 

They rode on in silence to the bridge, crossed over it and 
went on watch on the north side, keeping their horses close 
at hand so they could mount, if they needed to, in a moment, 
as the slaveowner told them the slaves would run and that 
there were two desperate characters in the lot. The brave 
slaveowner had them watch closely. He would walk up and 
down both banks of the river, pretending to be watching 
everything. Finally he came running up the bank and said, 
"Boys, get on your horses. I am certain there is something- 
g-oing on. I heard a noise as of men slipping through the 



PIONEER HISTORY OF INDIANA. 583 

brush." At this time one of his confederates called out, 
"Haiti Dismount; let two men hold the horses; get into 
line. Shoulder arms!" At this time one of the bombs near 
the horses went off. The leader called, "Get over the bridge, 
boys; the abolitionists will blow it down." At this another 
bomb exploded near them. This put the horses in a fearful 
panic and they went across the bridge at a great gait. 

Soon the two bombs on the south side exploded. The 
men were on the go and it was a half mile before the leader 
could stop them. Shaming them for such cowardice, they 
stopped and listened, and hearing nothing, marched on to 
where the last v'^oice was heard as they went to the bridge, 
and were listening there when the two bombs at this point 
were exploded within a few feet of them. After this there 
was no more halt, and the man who fired the two bombs at 
Indian creek said he could not tell that they went any faster, 
as they were at top speed when they got to him. The leader 
tried to keep up calling to them to stop. They did not heed 
him, for they had seen and heard enough for one night and 
ran all the way back to Princeton. 

In 1865 a captain of the 143d Indiana Regiment, who for 
years after the war lived at and near Francisco, Indiana, and 
later moved west, while seated on the capital steps at Nash- 
ville, Tennessee, gave me the data for the above stor3\ He 
said he was never so thoroughly frightened in his whole life 
as when the big bombs commenced to go of; it sounded as 
though the infernal regions had broken loose. Who the five 
men were who had charge of the bombs he never could learn, 
but alwa3's believed that they lived in the'Stormont and 
Carithers neighborhood northeast of Princeton. There is one 
fact certain, as he expressed it, it broke him of "sucking 
eggs," and if any of the other four men ever attempted to 
catch a runaway negro afterward, he never heard of it. 

AN ATTEMPT TO CATCH RUNAWAY NEGROES WHICH ENDED IN 
A DESPERATE BATTI^E WITH WILD HOGS. 

In 1850 Joseph Stubblefield was hunting some cattle 
which had strayed away from John Hathaway 's works on the 



584 PIONEER HISTORY OF INDIANA. 

old Wabash and Erie canal just north of the Patoka river op- 
posite the town of Dongola. Finding- that the oxen had 
crossed the river, he followed on after them until he came to 
what was then known as the Hazel rough, a large body of land 
which had but little timber on it, but was completeh' covered 
wnth hazel brush, matted together with grapevines, running 
in ever}' direction all over the top of the low bushes. At that 
time there were man.v wild hogs running at large in all this 
section, and that large body of wild tangled brush was an ideal 
home for them and offered them a bountiful supply of food 
from September to winter when there was other mast they could 
get in the timber around the edges of that immense thicket. 
In tracking the cattle it was found they had gone to the bot- 
toms of Buck creek, which was a short distance west of the 
rough, where he found them, and in attempting to drive them 
back they made a rush to get away by going into the edge of 
the rough. Following on after them some distance, he came 
to a camp with a bed of leaves that looked as if it had been 
recently used, as bones of animals and a piece of cornbread 
were found near the bed, which was completely covered with 
grapevines and could not be seen unless one should happen on 
to it as Stubbletield had done. He did not understand what 
this meant, as he had seen no one. But when he got back 
with the cattle he related his find to some of the men on the 
works and learned that it was a bed made by runaway negroes 
and that a posse had been there that morning inquiring for 
them and had left a handbill giving a description and offer- 
ing a reward for their capture. 

It was soon noised around that their hiding place had 
been found by Stubbletield and there was a posse organized to 
go back with him and capture the negroes. Mr. Hathaway 
learned what was up and sent for Joe and interrogated him 
about the bed and where it was. Mr. Hathaway was a just 
man, and believed if the poor runaways could elude their mas- 
ters and gain their liberty, that it was right that they 
should do it, and told Stubbletield, who at that time was not 
more than twenty years old, that he thought it wrong for 
him to pilot those human hounds so that they could capture 



PIONEER HISTORY OF INDIANA. 585 

these poor unfortunates. Joe at once took the same view of 
the matter and it was arranij-ed between them that he would 
do all he could to keep the men from tindinj^ the neyfroes by 
taking- them to a wrong- place and fool them all that he could 
until night would come, and the negroes would then be on 
their way north. It w'as arranged that they would start 
about two o'clock. When the time came Stubblelield, who 
■was equal to any emergency, pretended that he had sprained 
his ankle very badly and that he would have to bathe it for a 
while before he could go. In this way he put in as much as 
an hour, and when he had gone some distance on the way, he 
found that he had left his i^ocketbook, with all his money, in 
his boarding shanty and must go back and g-et it. 

By this time it was four o'clock and an hour later when 
they got to the rough, at the farthest point from where he 
had made the find. There was at least two hundred acres of 
this land which was very brushy and as much as one hundred 
acres that was a dense thicket. The party had brought five 
dogs with them and the leader of the posse was named Bev 
\Villis, who owned a boat that was in the river at Dongola, 
where he supplied the thirsty with Patoka water and whisky 
mixed. He was the owner of a verv large white bull dog, 
which was a great favorite with all when he w^as mu;^;^led. 

Another one of the posse was Pat McDermitt. who was 
one of Hathawa3''s bosses. He borrowed a large Newfound- 
land dog from his boarding boss, and there were three com- 
mon dogs along that weie of no special value. 

All told, there were live men beside Stubblefield in the 
party, all armed with some sort of a weapon. When they got 
to the rough, Mr. Stubblefield said that in there, not more 
than thirty feet from the post oak tree, was where the bed 
was made. It was so thick that it was impossible to ride in 
anywhere. 

McDermitt, who was a dare-devil, said he would go in 
and see what he could find. Taking his big dog along, he 
started to creep in under the tangle but had not gone far be- 
fore he came to a nest of young pig-s. One of the little dog-s 
following him caught one of the pigs and it set up a great 



586 PIONEER HISTORY OF INDIANA. 

•cry. In a minute the old mother was on hand charg-ing- the 
dog that was barking- at her family. The white bull dog- 
went to the aid of his brother and soon caught the sow by one 
of her ears when she commenced to squeal and in less than a 
minute hogs were heard coming from every direction. They 
charged the white dog who, with bull dog pluck, held his 
hold of the sow's ear. Finally a larg-e male hog cut the dog 
open with one of his tusks. By this time there was an awful 
uproar; dogs barking, hogs rallying- and men yelling. Mc- 
Dermitt's big dog- caug-ht one. This brought the battle on 
him and in a moment he was surrounded with savag-e hog-s. 
The continued battle had broug-ht the hogs and dog-s near to 
the edg-e of the thicket. McDermitt, intending- to save his 
dog-, ran his horse up to where he was and tried to catch him 
by a collar which was around his neck and bring him out. 

A larg-e hog hamestrung- his horse, which threw McDer- 
mitt, and before he could get away he was tusked to the bone 
in several places in both legs. The other men fought the 
hog-s back with their guns and secured their wounded com- 
panion. This ended the negro hunt. One man was cut to 
pieces and ruined for life, two valuable dogs killed and a 
horse so injured he had to be killed. After this the party 
concluded they had not lost any negroes and were g-lad to get 
back home. 

Isaac Street, who had laid out and platted the town of 
Dongola, was a very quiet old Quaker and thoroug-hly in 
sympathy with the anti-slavery part}'. He and his g-ood 
wife. Aunt Rachel, had many times fed and secreted the poor 
negroes as they were making their way to the North and lib- 
erty. They had knowledge of where the negroes were se- 
creted in the thicket, and while Stubblefield was dilly- 
dallying time away before he went to pilot the posse to the 
field of carnage, Mr. Street learned of the proposed raid, and 
with the aid of Thomas Hart, who was in sympath}^ with the 
negroes, took them from their hiding place under a small 
load of straw to his barn, and that night carried them to the 
north of White river and delivered them over to a friend. 

Thirty years after the events just recorded, in conversa- 



PIONEER HISTORY OF INDIANA. 587 

tion with Mr. Stubblefield about this hog battle, he said that 
his life had been sweet to him, althouj^h he had underj^one 
many hardships and misfortunes, but in all his life there was 
never any one thing that he had always so thoroughly en- 
joyed as he did seeing those roaring negro hunters defeated 
and routed. 

After the canal was finished in this section, Mr. W. H. 
Stewart, the father of Dr. W. H. Stewart, of Oakland City, 
bought the immense thicket above described and made a 
large farm. That farm is now owned by Frances W. Bulli- 
vant's heirs and Thomas Spore. 

JERRY Sullivan's raid at the old dongola bridge. 

In 1851 Mr. Andrew Adkins came across the Patoka 
river at Dongola to see my father. It was late in the sum- 
mer and the farm work was nearly- all done, as we were just 
cutting our fence corners. My father was not at home and 
Mr. Adkins remained until after dinner to see him. There 
were three hands beside myself at work on the farm. As Mr. 
Adkins was com'ing over that morning, two men from near 
Kirk's Mills, now called Bovine, overtook and rode to the 
bridge with him. The}' showed him a flaming handbill giv- 
ing a description of seven runaway negroes and offering a re- 
-ward of one thousand dollars for their capture. They in- 
formed Mr. Adkins that they, with some others, intended to 
watch the bridge that night, and invited him to assist them, 
offering to share the reward with him if they got the negroes. 

Mr, Adkins was very anxious for fear the}' would catch 
the negroes, and while we were resting after dinner he so ex- 
prei'sed himself to the hands. At that time we had a dis- 
charged soldier of the regular army, named Jerry Sullivan, 
working for us. In the talk Sullivan asked why it would not 
be a good plan to rout the bridge-watchers. ' This, Mr. Ad- 
kins thought, would be a good thing to do, but the fugitive slave 
law gave the men the lawful right to catch them, and the 
■courts in this country were so organized that it was danger- 
ous business to try to hinder anyone from recapturing the 
slaves. Those capturing them for the reward had the same 



588 PIONEER HISTORY OF INDIANA. 

rights under the law as the master had. Sullivan was a 
full-fledged abolitionist and said, "Fugitive slave law to the 
winds! Just give me a chance and I will clean out that 
bridge-watching gang in good shape.'' Mr. Adkins had the 
will, but he did not dare go into the conspirac}', as the two 
men who offered to divide the reward with him were neigh- 
bors of his, and if it was found out he was in the scrape, they 
would cause him to pay a heavy fine. 

Sullivan was very anxious to get after them and con- 
sulted us young boys about going with him. The other boys 
working for us were Wm. B. Dill and Thos. Midcalf. Finally 
it was agreed that we would all pretend to go fishing late 
that evening and put out a trot-line and stay until late in the 
night. Mr. Adkins agreed that he would go home and send 
his younger brother. Pinkerton Adkins, and Hiram Knight, a 
neighbor boy, late in the evening to go with us. Before he 
would agree to do anything, he made us promise not to kill 
anyone and that we must not injure the horses of the men 
guarding the bridge. After we made these promises he said 
he would see Basil Simpson, who lived on the bluff but a 
little way west of the bridge and who ,y/as thoroughly in 
sympathy with the anti-slaver}' people, and ask him to 
watch where the men put their horses. When the two boys 
came over late in the evening they were to remain near Mr. 
Simpson's until the watchers had gotten to the bridge and 
had hidden their horses; then the boys would come on to the 
agreed rendezvous, which was about one mile south of the 
bridge. After these arrangements were made, Mr. Adkins 
went home, thinking we would not do anything more desper- 
ate than turning their horses loose and driving them away so 
they would not find them for some days. 

Finally my father came home and we got his consent to go 
to the river fishing. Sullivan got a number of old newspapers 
and rubbed wet powder all over them, leaving it in lumps so 
that it would flash when it was burning and make a regular 
flambeau. He dried the paper in the sun and then took a lot 
of fuse which he had been using in blasting stumps. Taking 
a good supply of flax strings which we made for the purpose, 



PIONKER HISTORY OF INDIANA. 589 

he made six lar^'e broaches out of the newspapers. 

We had plenty of horses and about sundown we took our 
trot-line and ^uns and started for the river. When we ar- 
rived at the meetinjf place we had to wait until a little after 
dark, when the two boys came, mounted and armed for the 
fun. As Sullivan had been a soldier and was much older 
than any of the rest, it was unanimously agreed that he 
should have full command and we would do as he directed, 

Mr. Simpson and the two Pike County boys had located 
the horses in a patch of small saplinyfs. As I now recollect it, 
they were less than one hundred yards southwest of the Don- 
gola coal mine shaft and there were seven of them. The two 
Kirk's Mill men told Mr. Adkins there would be six and jjave 
him their names. One of them was a doctor, who at that 
time lived in Lynnville. in Warrick County. One was a hotel- 
keeper who lived in Petersburg and another was one of his 
boarders. The other was a man who lived about half way 
from Dongola to Winslow on the north side of the river. It 
was never ascertained who the seventh man was. After the 
party had assembled, Sullivan took charge, giving each a 
number and directed us how to form a line and put us 
through a lot of manoeuvres which were pure nonsense to us 
then, but which I afterward learned were good military tac- 
tics. 

After waiting until about two hours after night, our 
commander got us in position two and two. and heading the 
cavalcade, gave the command to "Forward, march!" We 
marched on until one of the Pike County boys told our com- 
mander that we were near the place the horses were hitched. 
Halting us, the commander took one of the boys and located 
the horses; then coming back, he marched us up to a point 
where he wanted us to leave our horses. We dismounted, 
leaving une man to hold the five horses. One man, mounted. 
was stationed between the horses and ihe bridge to look out 
for the enemy. 

Stripping the saddles off the bridge waiclu-rs" horses and 
piling them at the root of a large tree, we led them out to 
the road and within about two hundred vards of the bridge. 



590 PIONEER HISTORY OF INDIANA. 

when Sullivan unrolled his flambeau material and wrapped 
one of the broaches inside the hair of each horse's tail. He 
secure!}' tied them there leaving- about six inches of fuse 
sticking- out. As he had only six broaches he made another 
for the extra horse by cutting a strip out of a heavy saddle 
blanket. He rolled it very tightly, putting about two-thirds 
of a pound of powder into it and bound the strong material 
very tightly with the flax strings. The fuse in this case was 
longer than the others, as he said he wanted it to g-o off near 
the bridge. 

He lighted all the fuse, then ordered us to turn the horses- 
loose and start them down the road toward the bridg-e. We 
soon had our horses started after them, yelling like so many 
Indians. The broaches commenced to pop and fizz at a great 
rate and the horses were going like the wind. In a little 
while the big bomb went off and I doubt if anyone ever saw 
such another runaway scrape where there was an equal num- 
ber of horses. 

They w^ent across the bridg-e at top speed. When we got 
near the bridge Sullivan ordered us to halt, make read}- and 
fire, which we did. Jumping off our horses we loaded our 
g-uns. Our commander was calling aloud g-iving- orders to an 
imaginary battalion to rush over the bridge and capture the 
villains. 

About this time Tom Midcaif. who was a fearless fellow,, 
became very much excited, jumped on his horse and ran over 
the bridge hallooing like a Comanche Indian. We kept up- 
a fusilade for some time but there was no one there. The 
charge of the horses with the snapping and flashing of fire 
tied to their tails was enough to have scared the devil, let 
alone a few cowardly scamps who were waiting to capture a 
lot of poor runaway negroes trying to get awa}' from the 
bonds of slavery. 

All the evidence of there having been anybody there was 
the horses and we found a bed made down above the bridge 
where one relief of negro hunters were no doubt l3nng when 
the horses came charging onto them. We found two pair of 
boots under the bed put there for the purpose of raising, their 



PIONEER HISTORY OF INDIANA. 591 

heads. We also found a bushel bashet in which the_v had 
their provisions. 

Sullivan rolled up a lot of rock in their bed and threw it 
into the river. He cut their boots into strips and threw them 
into the river. Then he sent three of the bo3's back and got 
the seven saddles, cut them all to pieces and threw them inta 
the river. I don't know how far the horses ran, but probably 
several miles. 

It was believed that the men gruarding- the bridge were 
on the g-o before the horses crossed it and that they made 
good time until the)' got clear awa)' from the noise made by 
our crowd, and the running of the horses sounded like a host 
of men after them. Sullivan got us into line and escorted the 
Pike county boys near to their homes and then we went home 
arriving after midnight. Jerry Sullivan remained at my 
father's home several weeks after these events. When he 
went away he said he was going to re-enlist in the arm}'. I 
have often wondered what became of him. If he was in the 
war of the rebellion I am satisfied that he made his mark. 

The oldest of our crowd except Sullivan was less than 
sixteen years old. Just a lot of green country boys, and as I 
recall the scrape, w'ith such a leader we would have run head- 
long into anything, regardless of danger. I afterward 
learned that the thing needed was for soldiers to have a lead- 
er who had the grit and the will and they would follow him 
into the jaws of death. 

With the four young men named I have had many adven- 
tures and hours of pleasure. They were all brave true-heart- 
ed men, long since gone to their eternal rest. 

Years afterward Mr. Adkins told rne that some time af- 
ter the middle of the night of the raid, there was a knock at 
his door. On opening it one of the Kirk's Mills men was 
there and said that early in the night he had a chill and was 
compelled to go ho;ne, that he was very thirsty and asked for 
a drink of water. Mr. Adkins said he was satisfied that the 
reason the man stopped was to find out if he was at home. 

After the war was over and the negroes free, my father 
told me that the day Mr. Adkins was at his house waiting: 



5'>2 PIONEER HISTORY OF INDIANA. 

for his return, he was in consultation with Ira Caswell, of 
Warrick County, and Dr. Poseur, of Petersburg-, as to how 
best g-et the seven negroes to the north of White river with- 
out having them recaptured. 

The negroes at that time were safely hidden in the thick 
brush and tall grass in what was then known as the big- 
pond, about two miles east of Oakland Cit}'. The pond at 
that time of the 3'ear was nearly dry and had a heavy g-rowth 
of pond g-rass all over it. The runaways were kept there 
during that day and at nig-ht were taken over the Patoka 
river at Martin's ford, about one mile east of Massey's bridge, 
and were then piloted along Sug-ar creek for some distance 
until they came to where a wag-on was in waiting for them 
in which they were carried to Dr. Posey's coal bank and hid- 
den. The}' remained there the next day and at night were 
ferried across White river in skitfs and were turned over to 
another friend who rushed them on to Canada and freedom. 
When the}' had passed White river they were regarded as 
nine-tenths free. 

KIDNAPPING THE GOTHARD BOYS. 

These boys were born at the Diamond Islands in Pose)' 
county in about 1820. About the year 1824 Gothard moved 
with his family to a little log cabin a half mile southwest of 
what is now known as Calvert's Chapel, Vanderburg county. 
About the year 1825 three men whose names are not known 
except the leader, named Lynn, stole the boys and took them 
back to Diamond Island, where they were secreted and after- 
ward taken away to Missouri, which created quite a commo- 
tion in the neighborhood. A part}' was organized to search 
for the boys, but they were not successful. The party was 
headed by "Uncle Paddy Calvert," With him were Bob 
Calvert. Joseph Carter and John Armstrong and two or three 
others. While they were searching for the boys at Diamond 
Island, the company had quite a skirmish with the kidnappers 
with clubs, knives and guns. In the midst of the battle, 
Avhich was a desperate one from start to tinish, Paddy Cal- 
vert came near losing his life. The kidnappers got between 



PIONEER HISTORY OF INDIANA. 593 

him and the rest of his part}' and hemmed him behind a set 
of hewed logs for a house. In attempting- to escape he ran 
his horse over the logs lengthwise. The horse caught his 
foot between the' logs and fell. At that the kidnappers 
rushed onto him with drawn knives and his friends rushed to 
his relief. His horse got its foot loose or Calvert would have 
been killed. The rescuing part}- found there were too many 
kidnappers for them to contend with, so the}' fell back and 
returned to their homes. It afterward developed that the 
bo3's were hidden in a well nearb}' at the time this battle took 
place. They were then taken into Missouri and sold into 
slavery. A few months after that "Grandfather Armstrong," 
as he was known, and John Armstrong sold out their posses- 
sions and moved to what was then called the Red River coun- 
tr)', located in southwestern Arkansas. "Uncle Paddy Cal- 
vert" and his son Robert went with a four-horse team to help 
them move. On their way home they stopped over night in 
the neighborhood where the little boys were sold, and in 
talking with the gentleman with whom the}' sta)''ed all night, 
the)' learned that two little mulatto boys were brought there 
and sold to his neighbors. The next morning Mr. Calvert 
and his son went to see the gentleman who had bought the 
bo3'S and asked him to call the bo3's up, one at a time, and if 
the}' did not know him or his son, or both of them, the)' 
would not claim iliem as stolen boys. Ike was called up, but 
failed to recognize either man. Then Jack was called, and 
he did not know Mr. Calvert, but knew his son at once, and 
said, "That's Marsa Bob Calvert." Then the boys both 
seemed to recollect the two men and recalled their names. 
The man who had bought them readily gave them up to Mr. 
Calvert, as they were stolen property. He took them home, 
raised them to manhood, sent them to school and gave them 
an education the same as he did his own children. An agree- 
ment was made between Calvert and the Missouri man that 
the boys were never to go into bondage again. When they 
were twenty-one years old he gave each of them a good horse, 
saddle and bridle, and one hundred dollars apiece and started 
them out into the world. 



594 PIONEER HISTORY OF INDIANA. 

REV. HIRAM HUNTER RELEASING KIDNAPED NEGROES. 

In the fall and winter of 1863 I had the misfortune to be 
an inmate of Libby Prison hospital with a wound made b)^ a 
Minne ball through my hip. There were at that time about 
one thousand Federal officers, from the rank of brigadier- 
general down to second-lieutenant, in that prison. Among- that 
number as a patient in the hospital was Col. W. McMackin^ 
of the Twent3^-first Illinois, the regiment which General 
Grant went into the service with. The Colonel, as well as. 
myself,had been captured at the battle of Chickamauga, Geor- 
gia. As I now recall it, he was a Cumberland minister and a 
Christian gentleman at all times, doing all he could to con- 
. sole the poor unfortunates who were in that hospital, many 
of them ver}" severely wounded, and a number died while he 
was there. I am glad to be thus privileged to bear testimony 
that the Colonel was ever ready at any time, night or day, to- 
aid those wounded and sick in their temporal wants and ta 
give them the words of consolation which are in the precious 
promise of our Savior. He looked to have never been 
strong, and the exposure from that terrible campaign, from' 
Murfreesborough, Tenn., to Chickamauga, Ga., in the rain 
nearl}^ every day, had been so severe that he appeared to be 
suffering from that dreadful disease, consumption. During 
the long and weary months that he worked so faithfully for 
the hapless and helpless ones in that house of death, he never 
complained of his own suffering. He was ever doing good 
and organized a Bible class for the convalescents. In this 
way I became very well acquainted with him. He learned 
where I lived and the town of Prince con was near my home» 
and in talking together he related to me this strange story 
which took place some twenty-live years before: 

He said he had gone to Princeton, Indiana, to meet 
Hiram Hunter, and had had been there for quite a time doing 
some school work in the old brick seminary which stood on 
the hill, under Hunter or some other persons whom Hunter 
had assigned to give him lessons in theology. During the 
time he was there he went out with the ministers to the dif- 
ferent churches in the country surrounding Princeton and 



PIONEER HISTORY OF INDIANA. 595 

heard the old ministers preach. At one time he attended a 
camp-meeting some miles southwest of Princeton. There 
were man}- preachers and thousands of persons in attendance. 
While attending- one of these meetings eight or ten miles 
southwest of Princeton there was a length}' service at night 
and during the time the meeting was going on there was 
some rain and quite a tlurr}- of wind. After the meeting was 
over. Rev. Hiram Hunter, who was in attendance, was invited 
by a gentleman who lived near to go home with him to spend 
the night. The Colonel, through Hunter, was also invited. 
The)' were all on horseback and Mr. Knowlton (no doubt 
Knowles) had his wife on the same horse back ol him. The)' 
had gone some distance from the church when they found the 
road completely blocked by the top of a tree which had fallen 
into it. They all dismounted and crept around through the 
thick brush as best they could to get around the tree top. On 
coming to the road on the other side, they found a covered 
wagon which was stopped by the blockade. On coming up 
to it, a man was seen standing in the road. Mr. Hunter was 
in front and asked the man how he came there with a covered 
wagon at such a time of night. The man answered him by 
saying it was none of his business. Mr. Hunter was a deter- 
mined man and it did not take much of this sort of thing to 
raise his anger. He said, "I spoke to you as a gentleman 
and your answer shows that you are an ill-bred cur. I am 
now satisfied that there is something wrong about you, and 
before we go any further we will investigate." At this point 
another man ap])eared, who had been cutting a road around 
the other side of the tree, and demanded to know what the 
trouble was. Mr. Hunter told him there was no trouble, but 
they thought there was something wrong and intended to 
know what it was. At this, the man with the ax said that 
the first man who attempted to lay hands on the wagon 
would lose his life. As quick as thought one of the two 
stalwart sons ot Mr. Knowlton, who were with the camp- 
meeting party, caught the ax and wrenched it out of the 
threatening fellow's hand. The other man attempted to aid 
his partner, when the senior Mr. Knowlton laid him on his 



596 PIONEER HISTORY OF INDIANA. 

back in the road. The two bo3'S tied the man the}- had and 
their father and Mr. Hunter drew the arms of the man who 
was knocked down behind his back and McMackin tied them 
hard and fast with his handkerchief. The night was cloud)', 
but there was a moon and it was not very dark, but the tim- 
ber was so very thick on each side of the narrow road that 
they could not see to an}' advantage. Matches at that time 
were not in general use. Mr. Knowlton told one of his sons 
to take his mother home and bring back some material to 
make a torch. The young man was soon back with the steel, 
flint and punk and in a little time they had a flaming torch. 
In the wagon the)' found a negro man and woman with their 
hands tied and they tied to a cross-piece under the bottom of 
the wagon and a rope was tied in each of their mouths. They 
were soon liberated, but it was some time before they could 
stand or talk. They said they lived in Illinois, some miles 
west of Vincennes, Indiana, and they had been tied ever since 
the latter part of the night before and had been gagged most 
of the time. They further said they crossed the Wabash at 
Mt. Carmel on the ferry; that they were free negroes, and 
that these two men had come to their cabin the night before, 
after they had gone to bed, pretending to be lost, and asked 
the privilege of feeding their team near their house, saying 
they would sleep in their wagons, but if the negro woman 
would get them a good supper they would give her a silver 
dollar, and she did so. Sometime after midnight they 
knocked at the door, saying the)- were cold in the wagon and 
asking permission to lie on the floor. The door was opened 
and they caught and tied and put them in the wagon, nearly 
twenty-four hours before they were liberated. 

The wagon was turned; the two kidnappers were made to 
walk behind it, guarded by Messrs. Hunter and Knowlton. 
One of the boys drove the team and they were soon home. 
After getting into the liouse they had an informal examina- 
tion. The two negroes told the same story that they did at 
the wagon. The man knocked down was the first interro- 
gated. He was very insolent and said he would make it dear 
business to them for stopping him and meddling with his 



PIONEER HISTORY OF INDIANA. 597 

propert)'; that the two nejjroes were his and he had a descrip- 
tion of them, which he showed. He said they had run away 
from southern Kentucky about two years before. The other 
kidnapper would not say anything-. The stories of the 
negroes were believed, and it was decided to hold the men 
until morning and take all of them to Princeton, where legal 
proceedings would be brought. 

The first cabin of this family was standing in the yard.. 
A pallet was made down on the floor and the kidnappers were 
put on it. There were no windows and but one door which 
was fastened with a rope tied on the outside. The two boys 
volunteered to occupy a room not more than ten feet away 
and guard the door. Somehow these outlaws untied each 
other and got out at the top of a wide, low chimney and made 
a break for the stable to get the horses, but the boys with 
their guns foiled them in this, and they made a rush for the 
woods which was nearby and escaped. That was the last 
these people ever heard of them. The next morning it was 
decided that Mr. Knowlton and a neighbor would take the 
negroes back to their home. The two men were well mounted 
and armed with long rifles, as everybody was in those days. 
They soon got started, the negroes driving the wagon. 
When they arrived in the neighborhood where the negroes 
lived they learned that the team and wagon had been stolen 
about three miles north of their cabin and that the negro fam- 
ily had lived in that neighborhood for more than twenty years. 

One morning in the spring of 1864 the rebel surgeon in 
charge of the Libb}' Prison hospital came to me and said that 
I was so much trouble to them, they had decided to send me 
to my own people on parole, and for me to be ready in twa 
hours, as an ambulance would be there to take me to a boat 
which would go on to City Point. I was greatly elated over 
the prospect of liberty. Colonel McMackin congratulated me 
on my good fortune and said: "I don't know that I will live 
to see home again, but when I die I will go to a country 
where rebel torture will not come, and then some day I hope 
to meet all my comrades who were with me in durance vile in. 
this wretched prison." 



CHAPTER XXIX. 



UNDERGROUND RAILROAD. 



Fugitive Slave Law — Anti-Slavery League — Routes of 
Fugitive Slaves — Interesting Letters — Rev. T. B. 

McCORMICK. 

THE underground RAILROAD. 

In this chapter I have been g-overned by data secured 
from the superintendent of the men working on the southern 
borders of Indiana near the Ohio river for the Anti-Slavery 
League. This matter has never been printed before. 

Slaves being- regarded as personal property, "things," 
not human beings, as the old Roman law was pleased to put 
it, the rights of the master to reclaim his property were ac- 
cepted as a reasonable consequence. 

The fugitive slave law of 1793, following shortly after 
the agreement of 1787, when the compact to forever exclude 
slavery from the Northwest territory was passed b)^ the votes 
of the slave-holding states, thus making it the law that all 
the states that would be formed out of that immense territory 
should forever be free. 

The act of 1793 provided for the reclamation of fugitives 
from justice as well as from service. It w^as accepted by all 
as a just law, permitting the owners of slaves to reclaim 
their propert}'. The fugitive slave law that was passed in 
1850, the provisions of which were drafted by Senator Mason, 
of Virginia, who was among the foremost of the Southern 
*'fire-eaters" in his hatred of the North (and he injected 
everything into that measure which he felt would be galling 
to the abolitionists), gave the slaveholders or those hunting 



PIONEER HISTORY OF INDIANA. 599 

their runawa)- slaves the power to org-anize a posse at an)'- 
point in the United States to aid them in running- down their 
negroes. 

There was a great impetus given to fugitive slave- 
hunting in all the free states bordering on slave states and 
far into New England. The favored provisions that the 
South had received by that law were taken advantage of by 
many men who never owned a slave or had been in a slave 
state. 

Kidnapping the negroes was accomplished by running" 
them awa)' from their acquaintances to a friendl)- commis- 
sioner, probabl)"^ a partner in the business, and there the kid- 
napper secured his right to the negro b)' a judicial decision of 
the villainous commissioner who received from the United 
States ten dollars for every decision he made against the 
negro and but five if he made it for the negro; thus offering 
the commissioner a bribe of five dollars for a favorable decis- 
ion in the interest of the kidnapper. The negro was thus 
doomed and taken South and sold into slavery. The harsh 
and humiliating provisions of that law seemed to have im- 
bued the Southern men with an extra touch of their imagin- 
ary superiority. This was carried so far that when the war 
came on, their recruiting officers, when raising troops for the 
Confederate army, boastingly said: "One Southern soldier 
on the battlefield will be equal to five Yankees." "Those 
whom the gods wish to destroy they first make mad," was 
literally carried out with the Southern "fire-eater." This 
madness rang the doom of slavery. 

Many of the provisions of the act of 1850 were without 
a doubt unconstitutional. 

The Constitution of the United States expressly provides 
that "in suits at common law where the value in controvers}^ 
shall exceed twenty dollars, the right to a trial by jury shall 
be preserved." The fugitive slave law of 1850 provided for 
the delivery of fugitives from slavery without allowing them 
the trial by jury. Section Six of that law says that "in no 
trial or hearing under this act shall the testimony of such al- 
leged fugitives be admitted in evidence." The first negro 



600 PIONEER HISTORY OF INDIANA. 

arrested and tried before a United States commissioner in 
Indiana was a free negro man. The commissioner decided 
ag-ainst him, but when taken to the slaveowner for Whom he 
was arrested, the man was honest enough to declare he had 
never seen the negro before. The law was, further, ver}^ se- 
vere, as it imposed a fine of one thousand doilars and im- 
prisonment on anyone harboring or in an}^ way aiding fugi- 
tives in escaping. Unfortunately for justice, the United 
States courts of that period were organized so favorably to 
the interests of the owners of slaves, that a very small inci- 
dent would be construed as aiding and harboring. 

In southern Indiana in an early day, four-fifths of the 
people were in sympathy with slavery. The greater portion 
of them had moved to Indiana from slave states and had been 
raised to regard the rights of the slaveowner to his slave as 
sacred as his rights to his horses, cattle or any other prop- 
erty. It was but natural that the law-abiding people would 
have just such a regard for the law that they had been taught 
to obe)% Slavery had existed in all the settled sections in the 
Northwest territory for many years before Indiana Territory 
was organized, and at the time of the passage of the fugitive 
slave law in 1850 there was but little open opposition to 
slaver3^ After that obnoxious law came in force, so many 
brutal acts were committed b)^ the kidnappers, that a great 
change came over the people. They realized that the law 
was passed so that the negroes could be kidnapped and sold 
into slavery who were free born, and this be done under the 
guise of obe3"ing the forms of law. 

Many expedients were entered into to defeat the owners or 
their agents from recapturing their slaves, b}^ feeding the 
fugitives, placing them in hiding during the day, piloting 
them farther north in the night and turning them over to 
friends who would carry them farther on their journey to- 
ward liberty. These anti-slavery men would gather a com- 
pany of men and put the slave-watchers at different bridges 
to flight, and in many cases severely chastise them. This 
was kept up until men from many sections of the free states 
^ot together and determined to organize an Anti-Slavery 



PIONEER HISTORY OF INDIANA. 601 

Leagfue. This was a secret organization, the object of which 
was to aid the fug-itive slav-es to gfain their freedom, and to 
render this aid in a wa}- that would be more effective than 
the haphazard way that was being done b}' the unorganized 
few who were helping the runaways. 

This organization was in direct opposition to the laws of 
the United States, and its members full}' understood the se- 
vere penalties which would be meted out to them if they were 
caught in the act of violating the law. Notwithstanding 
this danger, there were hundreds of men who were willing to 
engage in any enterprise which would defeat the swaggering 
negro hunter. The organization was made and there was all 
the money back of it that was needed and it was very effect- 
ive in helping large numbers of negroes to esape from slavery. 

It was not long after the employes of that organization 
were placed on duty at the different points assigned them un- 
til so many slaves escaped and the route they went could not 
be ascertained, that the slaveowners said there must be an 
underground railroad under the Ohio river and on to Canada. 

The Anti-Slavery League of the East had many of the 
shrewdest men of the nation in its organization. The}' had 
a detective and spy system that was far superior to anything 
the slaveholders or the United States had. There were as 
many as one hundred educated and intelligent young and 
middle-aged men on duty from some ways above Pittsburg, 
Pennsylvania, along down the Ohio on both sides of it to the 
Mississippi river. These men had different occupations. 
Some were book agents and other sorts of agents; some were 
singing teachers, school teachers, writing teachers, and 
others map-makers, carrying surveying and drawing outfits 
for that purpose; others were clock tinkers; some were real 
Yankee peddlers; some were naturalists and geologists, carry- 
ing their hammers and nets for that purpose. They belonged 
to any and all sorts of occupations and professions that gave 
them the best opportunity to become acquainted and mix 
with the people and gain a knowledge of the traveled ways of 
the country. They never engaged in political argument, 
making it a point always to acquiesce with the sentiment of 



602 PIONEER HISTORY OF INDIANA. 

the majority of the people the)' were associating: with. There 
were ten j'oung- men who were carried on the rolls of the 
Anti-Slavery League who took upon themselves the role of a 
spy. These spies were loud in their pro-slavery talk and 
were in full fellowship with those who were in favor of 
slavery. In this way they learned the movements of those 
who aided the slave masters in hunting- their runaways, and 
were enabled often to put them on the wrong track, thus 
helping those who were piloting the runaways to place them 
beyond the chance of recapture. There was also a superin- 
tendent for each of the four states, Illinois, Indiana, Ohio 
and Pennsylvania, who had the management of the men 
working in the state that he was assigned to. The man who 
superintended Indiana was named J. T. Hanover, but was 
known to us by the name of John Hansen. While he was do- 
ing this work he was for two or three days every two weeks 
at m}' father's house, where he boarded off and on for five 
3'ears. He was a naturalist, and one time was near what is 
known as Snakey Point, now on the Evansville and Indian- 
apolis Railroad, two and a half miles northeast of Oakland 
City. Seeing a snake of peculiar species, he caught it with a 
pair of circle nippers he had for that purpose, but when put- 
ting it into a cage was bitten through the thick part of the 
right hand and remained at my father's house for two and a 
half months under the care of Dr. Samuel McCullough. He 
came very near dying from the effects of that poison. Dur- 
ing the time he was there much of his mail accumulated at 
Princeton. The writer was sent there several times for it 
and answered many letters for him; in fact, the last month 
and a half I did all his correspondence. My father and 
Hansen consulted about me doing this work for him, when he 
said he was willing to risk it, as we would be as deep in the 
mud as he was in the mire. During the time he was lying 
there sick, young men came to see him from Princeton, Boon- 
ville, Petersburg and many other places. These men were all 
in the employ of the Anti-Slavery Leagae. The author is 
yet in possession of a diary kept by Hansen during that 
period, also a key which was used by Hansen in making his 



PIONEER HISTORY OF INDIANA. 603 

report. Without this key nothing- in the work could be un- 
raveled. 

Hansen was working and traveling over the first three or 
four tiers of counties all along the southern borders of Indi- 
ana and pretended to be representing- an eastern real-estate 
firm from which he received larg-e packages of mail at man)' 
of the count)' seats and larg-e towns all along southern Indi- 
ana. The young men assigned to do this hazardous work 
under him were men who could be depended upon to do it in 
a way that no suspicion of their real mission would be had. 
They were under a most perfect discipline similar to that the 
secret service men were under during the war times in the 
Sixties. There was a code used that each man was thorough- 
ly acquainted with, and had their numbers and all that was 
-said or done about him was by that number, which numbers 
were referred to as numbers of land, towns, ranges and sec- 
tions and by acres when the numbers were above thirty-six. 
The routes these men were on were called by the names of 
timber, such as linden, oak, maple, hickory, walnut, dog- 
wood, sassafras, beach, and all the sorts of timber that were 
native of the country in which they worked. 

There were many places that runaway negroes crossed 
the Ohio river from Kentucky into Indiana. I shall not at- 
tempt to give a description of any of the routes on the other 
three border states, for the only one who knew anything 
about this work I became acquainted with was the superin- 
tendent of the Indiana division. I shall name the most used 
routes commencing above the mouth of the Wabash river on 
the Ohio and on up to the neighborhood of Cincinnati. The 
most difficult problem that the slave had to solve was how to 
cross the Ohio river and to make that proposition easy it was 
agreed that there should be several places located along that 
river where the negro could be crossed in boats belonging to 
the anti-slavery league. 

At Diamond Island, near West Franklin, Posey County, 
many runaway slaves were helped over the river and were 
taken over two routes. One route was to cross the Wabash 
river at Webb's Ferry near the southern line of Gibson 



604 PIONEER HISTORY OF INDIANA. 

Count}', Indiana, and then on up along: the Wabash or near it 
in Illinois to a friendl}' rendezvous where they met friends 
who carried them on farther north, recrossing- the Wabash 
above Terre Haute and up to a point near Lake Michig-an, 
either in Lake, Porter, or LaPorte Counties. Here there was 
a place in each county where the}' were secreted and smug'- 
gled on board a lumber bark , tha.t the anti-slaver}^ people 
owned that was manned by an anti-slavery crew. This boat 
was very unpretentious to look at but was built for strengfth 
and speed. Anyone not acquainted would think the boat 
would not dare venture five miles from shore. The boat 
cruised along- the shore landing- at different points in the 
three counties, loading- and unloading- such freig-ht as was of- 
fered them, but carrying- no passengers. The neg-roes were 
kept secreted in the holds until a number were g-athered to- 
g-ether and then taken along the Michigan shore on up into 
Canada. 

The other route from Diamond Island was to a point in 
Vanderburg- County then known as the Calvert neighborhood, 
thence north to the various rendezvous until at one of the 
gathering places near Lake Michigan. Near the city of Ev- 
ansville was another place where the runaways crossed. This 
was a very popular route as there were many free negroes in 
the city among whom the refugees could be easily hidden. 

This work was done at night by fishermen who supplied 
fish to the market. These two men with the fish boat were 
in the employ of the anti-slavery league. No doubt there are 
old people of the city of Evansville who can yet remember two 
young men who sold fish in their market during the early 
fifties who were men of fine literary attainments. The re- 
fugees who crossed by this route were placed in the hands of 
one of the anti-slavery league's pilots or guides and were tak- 
en by them along different routes to places where the negroes 
had friends who carried them farther north, turning them ov- 
er to other friends until they arrived at one of the points near 
Lake Michigan. 

The third route which was controlled by these people was, 
a short distance above the mouth of the Little Pigeon. There- 



PIONEER HISTORY OF INDIANA. 605 

was a crossinjif here b}' skiffs and the refugees were carried 
to a point and turned over to friends between Booneville and 
L)'nnville, in Warrick County, and thence north to Peters- 
burg", Indiana, where they were secreted in Dr. John W. 
Posey's coal bank. From there they were sent north to 
friends in Davies and Green Counties, and from then on to 
other friends, finally up to Lake Michigan. When there 
were only one or two of these fugitives they would be kept in 
Dr. Posey's coal bank until more could come, when they 
would be piloted farther north. 

The fourth place for crossing the Ohio river was at a 
point midway between Owensboro, Kentucky, and Rockport, 
Indiana. There used to be a little fisherman's hut on the 
south bank of the Ohio river at this point, and two men put 
in much of their time fishing who lived in that shack. The3' 
sold their catch to steam boats, flat boats an 1 coal flats pass- 
ing down the river, and made good money in the trade this 
way. The real business of the men was to carry refugees 
that were brought to their shack at night, across the Ohio 
river. Then one of them piloted the negroes to a point where 
they were put in charge of friends who carried them to other 
points, and finally on to freedom. 

The next regular crossing place was near the mouth of 
Indian creek, in Harrison County. There the refugees were 
ferried across, then conveyed to friends near Cory don, who 
carried them farther north across Washington, corner of 
Jackson, into Jennings; then through Decatur, Rush and 
Fayette Counties into Wayne, where they had an innumera- 
ble host of friends among the (Juakers. They were then 
piloted through western Ohio and on to Lake Erie and to a 
rendezvous where the anti-slavery people owned another lum- 
ber smack that they were put on board of, and when a sufti- 
cient number had been gotten together they were carried to a 
point in Canada. There were probably more negroes crossed 
over the Ohio river at two or three places in front of Louis- 
ville than any place else from the mouth of the Wabash to 
Cincinnati. The reason for this was that the three good- 
sized cities at the Falls furnished a good hiding place for the 



606 PIONEER HISTORY OF INDIANA. 

runaways among- the colored people. Those erossing- at these- 
places were all conveyed to Wayne County, Indiana, and 
thence on to the Lake. 

Probably in Wayne Count3% Indiana, the fug^itives had 
more friends among- the large community of Quakers who 
lived in that district than anywhere else, and it was a com- 
mon saying- by those losing- slaves that if they got to Wayne 
County the prospect of finding- them was very remote. It is 
said that the old house built by Levi Coffin and now owned 
by Maj. M. M. Lace}-, Fountain City, Indiana, has furnished 
shelter for ten thousand runaway negroes. 

From the earl)' fifties until the war came on there were 
man}' persons who were in sympathy with the fug-itive ne- 
groes, who were regarded as strong pro-slavery in principle, 
and this was the main reason wh}' so many negroes eluded 
those who tried to capture them. 

The soldiers from many parts of Indiana were very much 
divided in their opinions on the slavery question the first two 
years of the war. When it was first talked about raising 
negro soldiers many loud and deep curses were heard against 
the Administration for such actions. Manj' officers resigned 
and left the army at about that time who were influenced in 
taking thai step by the emancipation proclamation and the 
arming of the negro soldiers. 

From the middle of 1863 until the close, the serious and 
business part of the war came on. The hardest campaigns 
and severest battles were engaged in. This in a great meas- 
ure cured all the grumbling. The soldiers by this time were 
willing and ready for any and all kinds of help, and from any 
source, to put the rebellion down. Ninety-nine per cent, of 
them returned home cured of the prejudice they formerly had 
against the negro and abolitionists. There are quite a few 
at this late date, when the destruction of slavery is regarded 
as the greatest achievement of the nineteenth century, who 
question the actions of those who aided slaves to gain their 
liberty. Fortunately for our state, they are few. 

The most hazardous work done by the employes of the 
anti-slavery league was on the south side of the Ohio river 



PIONEER HISTORY OF INDIANA. 607 

and, in many cases, far to the south. This work was ver}' 
dangerous, and none but those who were regfarded as the most 
careful men were sent into that section, and onlj' those wha 
volunteered to go. The)' took up many occupations such as 
would bring- them in contact with the negroes. There were 
regular pack peddlers carrying a large leather pack on their 
backs with compartments in it that would contain cheap jew- 
elry, bright-colored ribbons and many other articles of wear- 
ing apparel and a line of pocket cutlery and ornaments that 
would please the slaves, and at such a price as would enable 
them to purchase. The}- also carried fine linen and nice 
dress goods, ribbons, lace and fine handkerchiefs, which were 
shown to the white people, where they always went first, ask- 
ing the master of the house, if he were there, if not, the mis- 
tress, for permission to show his goods to the slaves, usuall}^ 
presenting the lady of the house with some fine handkerchief 
or lace. These young men were clean, intelligent and cult- 
ured. They had no difficulty in getting into the best houses, 
always agreeing with the family in politics. These peddlers 
carried their goods over a large scope of country, and usuall)' 
every three or four weeks would go over the same ground. In 
this way the}' became well acquainted with the white and 
colored people and with the roads, creeks and rivers in the 
territory they were working. After gaining thorough knowl- 
edge they would select an intelligent negro and approach 
him on the subject of gaining his freedom. (The Northern 
soldiers were not the first to learn that a secret intrusted to a 
negro of this character was never revealed, j Finally it was 
suggested that the negro work for the peddler for pay, b}' go- 
ing after night to those likely to be glad of an opportunity of 
escaping from bondage and talking to them on that subject. 
It was known for many years before the negroes were eman- 
cipated that, notwithstanding the patrol that was kept up in 
the slave states, negroes would travel at night over a large 
territory of country and always be back home in the morning. 
They had a secret way of communicating to each other which 
was not known to their masters. 

In a short time this negro selected by the peddlei would 



608 PIONEER HISTORY OF INDIANA. 

have two or three read}' to take the chance of g-aining- their 
freedom. The}- perhaps lived several miles away from the 
neighborhood this neg-ro lived in. The time and place would 
be ag-reed on; the peddler would have an accomplice on hand 
at the meeting place, whom the runaway would be placed in 
charg-e of, and then hurried to one of the crossing- places on 
the Ohio; then as far from the river as possible before the 
people were up and about. The neg-roes would be hidden in 
a dense thicket or in a barn of some friend and fed there until 
nig-ht came, when they were then piloted farther north. 

The next morning when it was found that the negroes 
were not on hand, there would be a g-reat commotion, and 
everybody, the neg-roes included, would be scurrying over the 
country to find them, the peddler as busy as any of them 
hunting for a clue. In this way nearly a da}" would be spent. 
Then the master or someone he hired would start out to find 
them. They very seldom found any clue, and if they did, the 
negroe would be half way across the state before the slave- 
hunter got started after him. The negro in the employ of 
the peddler would the next time do his work in another direc- 
tion and secure two or three more and have them meet the 
pilot and thus on to liberty. After things had quieted down, 
probably the negro who had brought about the liberation of 
ten or fifteen of his people would, with his wife and children, 
take the same underground trip in the same way and gain 
his freedom. 

Some of these agents understood geology and mineralogy 
and carried many kinds of instruments for testing the miner- 
als in the earth, claiming to have a mineral rod which would 
tell of the presence of gold, silver, copper or lead. 

One of these men went to a neighborhood in Kentucky 
not far from Green river and was hunting over the country, 
so he claimed, for a place where the Indians in an early day 
procured large quantities of lead, claiming that his grand- 
father had been a prisoner among the Indians for a long time 
.and during that period went several times to a lead mine with 
the Indians and had noted down a description of the territory, 
describing some peculiar rock formations and noted that the 



PIONEER HISTORY OF INDIANA. 609 

lead mine was only a few hundred feet from the rocks 
■described. 

This mineralogist went to a gentleman living in the 
neighborhood and applied for board for the time he would be 
working in that section, telling the gentleman his business, 
explaining to him his grandfather's statement about the lead 
mine and showing him a ver}' old-looking paper on which the 
peculiar rock formation was minutel)- described. The host 
said that he knew where the place was, and the next morning 
the)' started out together for the point, not more than two 
miles away. First going to the owner of the land, they 
asked his permission to examine the rock formations that the 
old chart so minutely described, which permission was readil)-- 
given. The owner went along with the two men. After get- 
ting to the point they decided that without a doubt the de- 
scription was of that place. The mineralogist asked permis- 
sion to hunt for the lode and made an agreement that, if he 
found the lead mine, the owner would give him one-fourth in- 
terest in it. He soon went to work, the owner furnishing 
several negroes to dig for him. The}' dug up a large terri- 
tory, and finally decided the)' would not work any longer at 
it for the present. The mineralogist said he would go back 
home and look overall the papers that were his grandfather's 
and see if he could not find other evidence more particularly 
locating the lode. Within two or three months after this as 
many as forty negroes left that neighborhood. They went 
two and three at a time and the surrounding neighborhood 
lost many negroes who were no doubt on the same under- 
ground railroad. The owners never could find the least clue 
where they went. 

The last of November, 1861, the writer, with his regi- 
ment, was marching on the east side of Green river, en route 
for Calhoun, Kentucky, where General T. L. Crittenden was 
located with a division of the Federal Army, watching the 
movements of General Sidney A. Johnson, who was then at 
Bowling Green, Kentucky, in command of the Confederate 
Army at that place. Late one evening, after passing a large 
farm and coming up to a fine country residence, a man, prob- 



610 PIONEER HISTORY OF INDIANA, 

ably fifty years old, was standing- in his yard using- the most 
violent denunciation against the soldiers and all Yankees in 
general. The colonel commanding the regiment left the adju- 
tant opposite the house, with orders, as soon as the rear guard 
came up, to arrest the vicious man and bring him along with 
them to the place where the regiment intended camping-. 
This was done, and that night the colonel went to the guard's 
quarters to find out what was the cause of the Kentuckian's 
violent language. He told the colonel that he hated the 
name of "Yankee," and that he would rather be dead than see 
their hated soldiers on his plantation ; that five or six years 
before that time a Yankee mineralogist had received his per- 
mission to prospect for lead on his farm ; that the villain had 
papers describing a section of countr}^ in that neighborhood, 
and particularly described just such a rock formation as was 
on his land. After working two months he decided he could 
not find the lead and went away, and in less than eight weeks 
there were forty-three negroes who ran away from that sec- 
tion of the state. Eight of them were his property, being all 
he had except two old crippled ones, and he had never found 
an}" clue as to where the}' went. 

EvANSviLLE, Ind., May 10, 1867. 
Col. W. M. Cockrum, 

Oakland City, Indiana. 
Dear soldier friend: 

The questions you asked about are yet fresh in 
my memory. The two young fishermen I became 
acquainted with through Judge A. L. Robinson, 
who had been paid a retaining fee to act if need be 
for some men who were working for the anti-slav- 
ery people along the Ohio river. There were three 
negroes who had been ferried across the Ohio river 
who were owned at Henderson, Kentucky, and par- 
ties at that place were raising trouble with the 
young fishermen, claiming that they had run the 
negroes off. Things looked blue for the men as a 
man living near the river was willing to swear out 
a warrant against these men for violating the fugi- 
tive slave law then in force, claiming that he had 
seen these men have the negroes in their boat. 



PIONEER HISTORY OF INDIANA. 611 

The Henderson people did not want the men ar- 
rested but thoujj-ht the}' would scare them into tell- 
ing where the nejjroes were hidden. 

It turned out that the nig-ht the negroes ran 
awa_v, two men who wanted a skiff stole a large one 
a little way above Henderson and running it up 
near Evansville loaded it with rock and sank it, in- 
tending to raise it and paint it over after the par- 
ties would get through hunting for it. Some men 
in bathing found the skiff, raised it and it was re- 
stored to its owner. This threw the suspicion from 
the two young men. They were very intelligent 
and interesting gentlemen. I often saw them about 
Major Robinson's office. I think this was in 1854. 

The old fellow in Kentucky whom I had ar- 
rested for cursing every man in Crittenden's divi- 
sion, defying them one and all to tight him, I think 
was the most complete daredevil I ever saw. 
Yours very truly, 

J. G. Jones. 



Freedmen's Bureau, Washington, 

March 9, 1865. 
Mr. Cockrum at Nashville, Tenn. 

My dear Mr. Cockrum: I certainly do recol- 
lect you and was so glad to receive your letter. 
You have not forgotten the real-estate firm. Your 
letter was forwarded to me and as 3'ou will see my 
name is changed since you knew me. I recall the 
incidents at your father's home with pleasure. I 
was so fearfully sick from the poison of the pesky 
snake that I ihoughi I would not get over it. Your 
father and mother were so very kind to me. When 
you write home I want you to remember me to 
them and say how I do thank them for their kind- 
ness and to Dr. McCuUough. how patiently he 
worked with my hand. I shall always love him. 
If he is living remember me to him. 

I read your army experience with interest and 
I am so glad you survived the terrible wound and 
the vile prison. 



Author's Notb. — Vheu the warco ue on Col Jones was attorney gen- 
eral for the state of Indiana He resi)^iied that pusirton and was made 
Colonel of the 4Jd Indiana Volunteers. 



612 PIONEER HISTORY OF INDIANA. 

Most of the 3'oung' men who were with me in 
Indiana are in the array. This rotten confederacy- 
is on its last legs. Soon the old flag- of the Union 
will wave over all of our America, the slaves free 
and our country will soon gather strength and then 
make rapid bounds to its destined greatness. I 
have none of my papers or note books with me but 
I am willing that you should have one of the 
diaries or more if you will have copies made and re- 
turn them to me. I can't say for certain how many 
fugitive slaves passed through the hands of the 
men on duty in my district on the Ohio river, but 
for the seven j^ears more than an average of four 
thousand each year. The work you did for me was 
all right and I assure you that I had the utmost 
confidence in your father. He was a great help to 
me as he was personally acquainted with all the 
country that I had charge of. It was risky busi- 
ness. I remember some men who were of help to 
me and always seemed to do what they did so 
cheerfully. I recall the two Mr. Ritchies who 
lived near your father; Dr. Lewis, of Princeton; 
Mr. Caswell and George Hill, of Lynnville. (Mrs. 
Caswell could bake such good salt-rising bread.) 
Dr. Posey was a true man. There will be no more 
need of filling his coal bank with runaway negroes. 
If I succeed well, I intend to come once more and 
go over the routes of my old work. I should like 
so much to see all the people that I used to know in 
that country. If you should go to Philadelphia, go 
to the old Post — I may be there soon. 
Yours as ever, 

J. T. Hanover. 

Grandview, Ind., March 3, 1868. 
Col. W. M. Cockrum, 

Oakland City, Indiana. 
My dear old army Comrade: 

Your very welcome letter came and found me 
away from home. I have just returned and hasten 
to answer. I ver)' well recollect the many conver- 
sations we had during our intimate relations in the 
army about the "Underground Railroad" and about 
the 3'oung men who were along the southern bor- 
der of Indiana, helping the slaves to gain their lib- 



PIONEER HISTORY OF INDIANA. 613 

erty. The youngf men who owned the fishing- 
smack some ways below Rockport were on intimate 
terms with my oldest son. At that time we were 
eng-aged in flatboating and were tied up receiving- 
corn on both the Kentucky and Indiana shore very 
near where the two men were stationed. I had 
many conversations with the two young men. 
While they never directly told me their business 
other than as fishermen, yet I do remember as I re- 
lated to you in the army, that they had much to do 
up and down the river and in crossing it at night 
during the time my boat lay near them. 

I was introduced to Mr. Hansen by Ira Caswell 
of Warrick County, who was going over the 
country with him at that time, as they said, look- 
ing at land that Mr. Hansen said he wanted to pur- 
chase for a large real estate syndicate for which he 
was agent. He asked me if I was well acquainted 
with the country east of Rockport. Neither of 
these gentlemen made any further business known 
to me but while Mr. Caswell was on our boat, Han- 
sen crossed the river to the Kentucky side with one 
of the young fisherman, claiming that he wanted 
to purchase some sort of drawing outfit the young- 
man claimed to have. They were gone for about 
an hour and when they returned Mr. Hansen had a 
leather box containing a bright, new field compass, 
also some fine drawing tools which he showed 
to me. 

I wish you great success in your undertaking. 
Sincerely your friend, 

A. MiLER. 

EvANsviLLE, Indiana, June 12, 1867. 
Col. Cockrum, 

Oakland City, Ind. 
My dear Sir: 

Colonel Jones was in yesterday with your let- 
ter of inquiry, also a letter from J. T. Hanover 
written to you from Washington City, and ex- 
plained the reason why you wanted a letter from 

In 1852 a gentleman named John Hansen came 
to my office with a letter of introduction from east- 
ern friends of mine enclosing a New York draft 



614 PIONEER HISTORY OF INDIANA. 

for $250.00 for a retainer fee for tne to look after 
the interests of men who were working- for the 
anti-slavery people at this place and along- the 
Ohio river should the}' need my legal services, 

I, of course, knew that the fugitive slave law 
was being violated and I did not have the least 
compunctions of conscience on that score. For, 
without a doubt, that infamous law was unconsti- 
tutional and if it could have been tested by a fair 
tribunal would so have been declared. 

Mr. Hansen was in my office many times dur- 
ing the several years that he was in this section of 
the country. During all that time I only had one 
case and that was in the interests of two young 
fishermen who were fishing in the Ohio river for 
several years, below this city and that case did not 
come to a test. 

I am of the opinion that these two young men 
ferried across the Ohio river many hundreds of 
negro slaves who found a home and liberty in 
Canada. 

You have my consent to use this letter. I only 
wish I could have been the means of helping the 
poor unfortunates more. 

Yours truly, 

A. L. Robinson. 



REV. T. B. m'cORMICK. 

Rev. T. B. McCormick, a most ardent anti-slavery work- 
er, was born and raised in the state of Kentucky and was one 
of a large family. His father never owned slaves. Just pre- 
vious to his conversion, while quite a )'oung man, he was em- 
ployed as a slave driver on a big plantation, but soon threw 
up his position. After several years of study he entered the 
Cumberland Presbyterian ministry, and about 1844 he came 
to Princeton and became the pastor in charge of that denomi- 
nation. 

Having married in Henderson, Ky. (his first wife), he 
occasionally went to Kentucky and preached. At that time 
he was known to be bitterly opposed to the institution of 
slavery, and in his fearless, outspoken way he made no secret 



PIONEER HISTORY OF INDIANA. 615 

of his hatred of slaver}' and his sympath}- for the slave. In 
1851 he severed his connection with the C. P. church upon 
the sole ground of the pro-slaver}' attitude of that church, 
and from that time he seemed to become a marked man. After 
•one of his trips an indictment was tiled ag-ainst him in Union 
County, Kentucky, charging- him with stealing slaves and 
aiding them by way of the "underground railroad" to Canada. 
Although not guilty of this charge, false testimony against 
him sprang up on every side. Spurred on by enemies on this 
side of the Ohio river, the charges against him in Kentucky 
magnified and grew in intensity until the reward offered for 
his capture, dead or alive, aggregated $2,000.00. 

Knowing the condition of things, he did not venture into 
Kentucky, but in the spring of 1851 Governor Powell, of 
Kentucky, was appealed to to make requisition on Governor 
Wright, of Indiana, for his delivery to the Kentucky authori- 
ties, and Governor Wright, recognizing the "heinousness" of 
his offense, granted the requisition. McCormick, however, 
had a friend in Indianapolis who had promised to keep him 
posted on the action of the governor, and this he did, and 
Mr. McCormick, recognizing discretion as the better part of 
valor, went across the Wabash into Illinois. 

As soon as the requisition was granted by Gov, Wright a 
warrant for the arrest of Rev. McCormick was placed in the 
hands of Deputy United States Marshall Smith Gavitt, of 
Evansville, and Mr. Gavitt left no stone unturned to effect 
his capture. At that time Rev. McCormick was living on a 
recently-purchased farm two miles southeast of Princeton 
(the farm now owned by Louis Laib), and the house consist- 
ed of one log room and a lean-to shed which was used as a 
kitchen. The house was surrounded on three sides by a dense 
forest and was lonely in the extreme. His family at that 
time consisted of his young wife (a second marriage), her 
unmarried sister, a young woman, a son ten years old, a 
daughter five years old and an infant in arms, the present 
editor of the Princeton Tribune. The writer goes into detail 
simply to show the isolated and helpless condition of McCor- 
mick's family. Marshall Gavitt was kept posted by some of 



616 PIONEER HISTORY OF INDIANA. 

Rev. McCormick's pro-slavery friends (?) and the word being- 
sent him that his much-wanted man had been seen at home 
he jumped at the chance of securing- the $2,000.00 reward. 

The little famil)^ had gone to bed in the log house, the 
wife wondering where the fugitive husband was in his exile 
but finally sleep fell upon the little household. About mid- 
night the quick ear of his wife caught the sounds of hoof- 
beats in the woods, and, awakening her sister, together they 
listened in dread suspense. Soon the fact became evident 
that the house was surrounded by men. First came a rap at 
the door, but feeling that their only chance lay in perfect 
quiet and producing the impression that the house was de- 
serted the two women held their breath and waited. A 
knock bringing no response the door was kicked against and 
an attempt made to force it open but, it being heavily barred 
inside this failed. The other door was tried with the same 
result. The mob seemed to take it for granted that no one 
was at home and threw discretion to the winds and talked 
openly of their disappointment, all the time cursing — "The 

black abolitionist." When the two women found the 

men were well away from the house thej^ went into the lean-tO' 
and Miss McClure, Mrs. McCormick's sister, climbing to her 
sister's shoulders pushed aside the loose clapboards of the 
roof and putting her head through could see a large body of 
horsemen in the distance. 

Now the astonishing part of this whole performance was 
that under the leadership of Marshal Gavitt there were forty 
men in this posse to hunt down and capture one poor preach- 
er whose only crime was his outspoken denunciation of 
American slavery. The number in the posse was learned 
through a family living about a mile away who saw them 
pass the house and counted them. There were forty and 
every man of them MASKED. 

At that time Mr. McCormick was in hiding about three- 
fourths of a mile north of New Liberty Christian church be- 
tween Haubstadt and Cynthiana, Indiana. Gavitt learned 
that he was in that neighborhood and came out there after 
him. Meeting a man in whose house McCormick was lodg- 



PIONEER HISTORY OF INDIANA. 617 

ing: on the garret floor at that very moment, Gavitt halted 
him and asked — "Do 3'ou know where I can find the noted 
Rev. T. B. McCormick?" "Yes Sir" said the gentleman "I 
can tell 3'ou exactl}' where to find him — he is up in my garret 
loft." This frank confession staggered the noted detective. 
He hesitated a few moments and asked — "How is he fixed for 
arms?" The gentleman just as frankly replied — "All the 
arms he can possibly handle and he would be glad to have a 
little practice in using them if you see fit to give an oppor- 
tunity." Gavitt remarked — "I am not anxious to furnish him. 
a target" and then slowl}- rode away. 

After this Rev. McCormick made his way to Canada 
where he remained a few months when he (^[uietly returned to 
his family traveling after he got into this state only after 
night. He made arrangements to move his family to Ohio 
after which he entered the lecture field, his subject being the 
illegality and unconstitutionality of American slavery to 
which he devoted his entire time until 1863 when the ques- 
tion of slavery was settled, and he returned to his home near 
Princeton. Mr. McCormick never had any direct connection 
with the "underground railroad" but he was intimately ac- 
quainted with many of the "depots" from his home to 
Canada. 

An interesting incident which it would not be out of 
place to mention here occurred in 1855 while he was on a lec- 
turing tour in the extreme southwest corner of Ohio. He 
had gotten on the train on the old O. & M. railroad to go to 
Cincinnati and taking an unoccupied seat beside a passenger 
he looked into his face and was surprised to see that he had 
sat down by Marshall Smith Gavitt. They at once recog- 
nized each other and shook hands cordially and drifted into 
conversation. As is known the O. & M. railroad (now the B. 
& O. S. W.) runs right along the Ohio river bank for some 
distance. With a laugh Marshall Gavitt turned to Rev. 
McCormick and said: 

"Mack, I'll give you $1,000 if you will go across that 
river with me." 

Enjoying the joke Rev. McCormick with a laugh replied 



'618 PIONEER HISTORY OF INDIANA. 

— "Couldn't possibly do it Smith. I havn't lost anything in 
Kentucky or Indiana either that I think needs looking- for 
just now." 

In the Civil War Smith Gavitt fas Lieut. Col.) was with 
the first Indiana Cavalry and was killed leading a charge at 
Fredericktown. Missouri. 

Wood Robinson Senior was the man in whose house was 
McCormick's hiding place. McCormick would spend a day or 
so in the garret of a two-story house in which Robinson 
lived, then a day or so in the garret of a house in which Wil- 
liam Curry lived. These two houses were about one hun- 
dred and fifty yards apart on the grounds afterward known 
as McNary Boren's store. Wood Robinson died at Admore, 
Indian Territory several years ago. William Curry is now 
living at Beason, Illinois and is more than eighty years old 
and yet he looks almost as young as he did forty years ago. 
Rev. McCormick died at Princeton, Ind., 1892, aged nearly 80 
years. 

McCormick lived to hear many of his former enemies 
say: "You were right but you were twenty years ahead of 
the time and we did not have enough sense to see it." 

He united with the congregational church when he went 
north and was a minister of that denomination until his 
death. In 1856 he presided at the national convention of the 
Radical Abolition party held in New York and he was also 
•candidate for Governor of Ohio on the same ticket the same 
vear. 



CHAPTER XXX. 



INDIAN RELIGION. 



In 1843 my father was in the lower Mississippi with a 
"boat load of pork and hired a Choctaw Indian with an unpro- 
nouncable name but who went b}' the common name of John 
Choctaw. This Indian was well educated for that day; he 
understood the English language well and could speak it. 
When the boat load was sold out this Indian came with my 
father to his Indiana home and remained there for three 
years. From him were gathered the facts on Indian Religion 
which are contained in this article. 

The Indians believe in religion bat have no knowledge of 
their spiritual teachings; in fact they are ignorant of the 
•cause which forms their belief in heavenly things. It is cer- 
tain that the}' all acknowledge the Supreme, omnipotent Be- 
ing, the Great Father, the Giver of all things, who created 
and governs the universe. They believe that when the hunt- 
ing grounds were made and supplied with buffalo, bear and 
all game, that He then made the first red man and red 
woman who were giants in stature and they lived for a ver)- 
long time. The Great Supreme Being often held counsels 
and smoked with them and often gave them laws to follow 
and taught them how to kill their food and raise corn and to- 
bacco. They believe also that these big Indians after a 
while were living so easily that they did not obey the Great 
Supreme Power and for this disobedience He withdrew His 
favor from them and turned them over to the bad spirits, 
who had since been the cause of their misfortunes. They be- 
lieve Him to be too exalted a power to be directly the cause 



620 PIONEER HISTORY OF INDIANA. 

of evil and notwithstanding- their many shortcomings, He 
continues to send down them all the good things that they 
have in consequense of this parental regard for them. They 
are truly sincere in their devotion and pray to Him for such 
things as they need and return thanks for the good they re- 
ceive. On the other hand, when they are afflicted or suffer- 
ing any great calamity they pray to the evil spirit with 
great earnestness, believing that the evil spirit is directly re- 
verse to the good Spirit and they pray to him hoping to 
make him more favorable to them that he may lessen their 
affliction. 

All Indians believe that the Great Spirit can at pleasure 
be present yet invisible, that He is endowed with a nature 
more excellent than theirs and will live for all time. They 
believe in a future existence but they associate that state 
with natural things. They have no idea of the soul's intel- 
lectual enjoyment after death but expect to be in their person 
in a great country where the hunting grounds have abund- 
ance of game and they will never have bad luck in the chase. 
They think it is one continual spring day — no clouds, no 
snow, no rain, but all sunshine. 

They believe those who were killed in battle, those who 
were the most expert hunters in this land will, in that beaut- 
iful country, have the best wigwams, the best wives and the 
most game for their hunting grounds and that the Indians 
who were bad here will be left out on the outside where the 
snow comes all the time and where there is no game but that 
which is poor and that Indians who were cowardly and mean 
to old people will go where the snakes are all around. 

The Indians have no day of worship, such as our Sun- 
day, but they have times for their devotions. In such times 
as they declare war they go to the Great Spirit and implore 
Him to give them victory over their enemies. When peace is 
made they have great rejoicings, particularly if they have 
been successful. 

They have other times for rejoicing- and giving- thanks — 
when their harvest time comes and when the new moon i& 
first seen. No day passes with the older Indians that they 



PIONEER HISTORY OF INDIANA. 621 

do not have a moment for their devotions and when they are 
to break camp and go to another, the}' repair in a bod)' to 
the spring- that has furnished them water and give thanks to 
the Great Power for all His blessings. 

At times when occasion demands it, such as declaring 
war, the}' are very loud in their devotions. After it is over 
one of the older men who has a good record, addresses the 
band, urging them to be brave and to slip up on their ene- 
mies and enjoins them to so conduct themselves as to be worthy 
of success. They always address the evil spirit with as 
much earnestness as they do the Good Spirit, for they believe 
that the two have equal power over them, one to bless, the 
other to do evil; but the evil spirit can do them no harm 
while they are doing the things that please the Good Spirit; 
hence the older and staid Indians are never known to im- 
plore the evil spirit to do them any favor. They are 
continually in a devotional mood and call upon the Great 
Spirit many times each day. There is one thing that is cer- 
tainly much to the credit of the Indian race — that hypocrisy 
is never known to exist among them in sacred things and in 
many tribes the devotion in sacred things is the standard by 
which their character is measured. The title of "Prophet" 
is given to some who are considered good men and are able 
to teach, but they fill their sacred office much as our minis- 
ters do, teaching their tribe to be good and not drink "fire- 
water." 

Thomas Morton, author of "The New Canaan," in 1637 
says of the Indian conjurors — "Some correspondency they 
have with the devil of all doubt." Woods, to the same effect 
remarks that — "By God's permission, through the devil's 
help, their charms are force to produce wonderment." 

Smith declares of the Indians — "Their chief God they 
worship is the Devil." Cotton Mather intimates that it was 
the devil who seduced the first inhabitants of America into it. 



CHAPTER XXXI. 



THE MOUND BUILDERS. 



Age of Mounds — Workmanship of Builders — The Tra- 
dition OF THE PlASSA — REMAINS — DIFFERENCE BE- 
TWEEN Mound Builders and Indians. 



MOUND BUILDERS 

Anyone attempting- to write about the builders of the 
mounds which were constructed by a pre-historic race, is 
handicapped from the start. Ever3"thing' that ma}' be said 
about these early people, outside of a very few unraveling 
footprints left by them, is pure imaginary speculations. It 
is probable that the efforts being- made to find the history of 
the people who once densely populated a great portion of 
this countr}' and who ma}' have ante-dated the deluge and 
confusion of tongues at the tower of Babel maj^ be rewarded 
with success. The great mounds scattered over this country 
may have a history in hieroglyphics on man}' tablets that 
may tell the story of these wonciertul people and a history of 
the monstrous animals, birds and reptiles which once roamed 
over this country and whose bones are yet found and are held 
in our museums as relics of an extinct species. 

It is contended by some that these mounds are not so old 
as historians want to make them. If they were, the action 
of time would have obliterated them. There is one law of 
nature that those so contending have not understood. An 
excavation made in the earth or a mound made on it is never- 
obliterated without the aid of human agencies, unless the ex.- 



PIONEER HISTORY OF INDIANA. 623^ 

cavation is made in the river bottoms and overflows. The 
question has been asked b}' all classes ever since this country' 
has been peopled b}- the white race, b}' scholars, b}- teachers, 
by explorers and b}- those who read and travel — "Who were 
the Mound Builders?" "What race of people did they come 
from and what were the thousands of mounds built for?" To 
this question there can be but one answer — "Don't know," 
The most accepted theory is that thev came from Asia into 
North America through the Behring- Strait. This is a diffi- 
cult route but it was possible. They may, for ages have oc- 
cupied the Yukon country in Alaska and by degrees came 
farther south down through the Dominion of Canada and 
into the warmer climate of the United States. All over this 
country their marks are indelibly made. The)^ went far 
into the south land. The many mounds and towers around 
Vera Cruz and other places in Mexico are attributed to the 
same people. Probably the leaning towers of Central Amer- 
ica were their work. In most all the mounds which have 
been examined, small and great, human bones have been 
found with relics of those buried, placed b}- their side. In 
many cases burial vases have been found (now in our state 
museum and other places) in which the trinkets and orna- 
ments were placed b}' the body of the owner. Many of these 
bones are of a larger race of people than any that have been 
known since the dawn of history. After the battle of Stone 
river the Union forces built a very strong fort and named it in 
honor of General Rosecrans. It was located on a low mound 
which was not more than six or eight feet high in the centre 
and covered something near a half acre of ground. To those 
who had not before had knowledge of such mounds there was 
nothing unusual about the shape of the ground, but Cieneral 
Whipple, of General Thomas' staff was a learned man and 
had before that opened some of the mounds in other parts of 
the country. He told the men at work what it was and in 
excavating to make the walls of the fort, he asked them to 
look out for human bones and relics. When the ground for 
the fort had been excavated the depth wanted, a bomb-jiroof 
vault was made about ten feet deep and fourteen or fifteen 



624 PIONEER HISTORY OF INDIANA. 

feet square. In dig-g-ing- this, a skeleton was found. The 
bones were of a ver}' large n:an, probabl)' more than eight 
feet talL When the thigh bone was put b}- the side of the 
tallest man's thigh, he sitting down, the bone went as far 
back as the back of his hip and then reached beyond the bent 
knee live or six inches. 

It is g-enerally thought now that in the early ages of 
this country it was roamed over by animals, fowls and rep- 
tiles which were huge in size, many times larger than the 
animals and fowls of this period. It is claimed by some that 
the mound builders were here as soon as the country was 
suitable to be occupied by man; that it was peopled with in- 
digenous inhabitants who began life the same wa}' as did the 
trees, plants, animals, birds and other living things. If 
this theory is true then the large men were not out of pro- 
portion to their surroundings. The geologist tells us at that 
time, that ferns grew to be immense trees and all vegetation 
was hundreds of times more luxuriant than now — hence our 
great coal fields. The naturalist tells us that animals and 
birds were all huge monsters and that snakes and lizards 
were represented in size by large and long logs. Another 
fact cited by those that claim that man was here before the 
world was old, is that at many places in this country the 
print of the human foot of a very large size was made in the 
rocks; in some cases several inches deep, which were made 
■while the rocks were in a plastic state. 

To believe that this continent was finished and filled 
•with animals, birds and other living things which roamed 
■over its immense forests and swam in its many rivers, lakes and 
oceans and yet ihere was no human being with powers of 
thought other than intuition, is not reasonable. The con- 
clusion to come to is that man was here as soon as the 
country was suitable to be occupied by living things, not 
with the intelligence and reasoning powers of the educated 
people of after ages. Most probabl}' these primitive men 
"were savage in the beginning and the only history left b}' 
them is such as savage people have always left — the flint 
arrow heads, the stone axes and such crude implements as 



• PIONEER HISTORY OF INDIANA. 625 

-would enable them to secure their food from the animals, 
birds and tish which was necessar)' for their sustenance. 
They have left no history that can be unraveled. If they 
had there would be no further mystery about the mound 
builders, or about the huge monsters that were in this 
countr}' at that time, 

A tradition of migration is owned by all the nations 
which have filled the earth and the}' all go back to some 
other people the)' have learned about. The Egyptians have 
a record longer than any others. The}' have monuments 
which are four thousand years old and show an advanced 
civilization at the time they were built; yet Wilkinson in his 
"Ancient Egyptians," says that "The origin of these Egypt- 
ians is enveloped in the same obscurity as most of the other 
races. They were, no doubt of Asiatic stock and when they 
came, they found on the Nile an aboriginal race of people to 
be dispossessed before they could occupy the country," .and 
many writers about that country say that beneath the found- 
ation of the ruins on the Nile are yet found the rude stone 
implements of a people who lived there before the Egyptians 
did. 

The mound builders were skilled in making pottery or 
vessels for culinary purposes and they were quite artistic. 
There have been taken out of many mounds in all sections of 
this country many very fine specimens of sculpture work, 
showing the rounded images of human beings. This work is 
pronounced by men, who are experts in this line, to have a 
real, artistic value. They also made pictures in many places 
in caves and on rocks, of animals and birds. They had a 
reason for this laborious work which is not now understood. 
Probably they tried to leave a record of some of the most im- 
portant events of their history. Some of these carvings were 
seen by Joliet and Marquette, the first French explorers who 
were on the upper Mississippi river. There is not much 
doubt left but they were made many ages before Columbus 
discovered America, by the early people who lived in the Mis- 
sissippi valley for the purpose of trying to tell the history of 
their country. 



626 PIONEER HISTORY OF INDIANA. 

The most prominent of these carving's was that of the 
Piassa which in Indian signifies: "The Bird which Devours 
People" which was cut high up on the smooth surface of a 
very hig-h bluff rock near where the city of Alton, Illinois 
now stands. It was the representation of an enormous bird 
with its wing-s outspread. The animal or bird was called 
Piassa, named for the stream of that name that empties into 
the Mississippi at that point. This carved picture has been 
seen by thousands of people who were on the Mississippi. 

Joliet and Marquette, in the missionary stations on the 
upper lakes had heard frequently from the Indians of the 
Great River or Father of Waters (which was discovered by 
DeSoto more than 130 years before but was still unknown to 
white man as far north as the Missouri and Illinois Rivers) 
and in 1673 these two explorers with a small part}" started 
out from Green Bay to find the Great River. The Indians of 
the Lakes endeavored to deter them from going. The 
countr}^ they said, was filled with savage and frightful 
creatures and in the Great River at a certain point there was 
a monster whose roar could be heard a great distance and it 
swallowed every person who came near it. The ; found the 
Mississippi and drifted down it. Below the mouth of the 
Illinois, they beheld a sight which reminded them that the 
Devil was still paramount in the wilderness. On the flat face 
of a high rock was painted in red, black and green a pair of 
monsters each as large as a calf, with horns like a roe-buck, 
red eyes and a beard like a tiger and a frightful expression, 
of countenance. The face was something like that of a man, 
the bod}^ was covered with scales, and the tail was so long 
that it passed around the body between the legs and over the 
head, ending like a fish. John Russells first brought it inta 
general notice. He wrote for a magazine "The tradition 
of the Piassa" which he claimed was obtained from the 
Illinois Indian tribes. A part of the article is here producedi 

"Many thousand moons before the arrival of the 'Pale 
Face,' when the great magalonyx and the mastodon were still 
living in the land of green prairies there existed a bird of 
such dimensions that it could carry oif in its claws a full 



PIONEER HISTORY OF INDIANA. 627 

grown deer. Having- obtained a taste of human flesh it would 
after. vard eat nothing else. It was cunning as it was powerful, 
would dart suddenl}' on one of the Indians and carry liiin oif 
to one of the cav^es in the bluff and devour him. Hundreds of 
warriors tried for man^' )'ears to destro}' this monster but 
could not. Finally a detail of fifty men was made to not 
cease their efforts until the great bird was killed. They tried 
many plans to get rid of it, but it was more cunning than 
they. They agreed to select by lot, one of the number, who 
would place himself in a position that the bird would see that 
he was alone and would attack him. This lot fell on Anato- 
go, the great chief of the Illinois Indians whose fame extend- 
ed to the Great Lakes. He separated himself from the rest 
of his tribe and fasted in solitude for a whole moon and 
prayed to his great father to protect his children from the 
Piassa. On the last night of the fast the Great Spirit ap- 
peared to Analogo in a dream; told him to select twent}' of 
his best men, armed with bows and poisoned arrows and con- 
ceal them in a certain spot. Near that place another warrior 
was to stand in open view as a victim for the Piassa, which 
they must shoot the instant he pounced upon his prey. When 
the chief awoke the next morning he thanked the Great Spir- 
it. Returning to his tribe he told them his great vision. 
The warriors were quickl)' selected and placed as directed^ 
the Chief offering himself as the victim. He soon saw the 
Piassa perched high up on the cliff, watching its prey. The 
Chief began to sing his death song and a moment afterward 
the Piassa rose in the air and as swiftly as a thunder 
bolt darted down upon its victim. As soon as the horrid 
monster was near the Chief, twenty arrows were sent from 
their feathered quivers into its body. The monster uttered 
an awful scream and fell dead at the feet of the Chief, who 
was not harmed. There was great rejoicing in all the tribes 
and it was solemnly agreed that in memory of the great event 
in the nation's history, which had suffered so long from this 
monster, the image of the Piassa should be engraved on the 
bluff." Russell further says that at one time he was induced 
to visit the bluff below the mouth of the Illinois river. His 



6:8 PIONEER HISTORY OF INDIANA. 

curiosit)' was principall}' directed to the examination of a cave 
which tradition said was the one into which the great bird 
carried its human victims. Preceded b}^ an intelligent 
guide who carried a spade he set out on his excursion. The 
cave was ver}' hard to g'et into as it was in the solid face of 
the bluff, more than fift}- feet above the bed of the river. It 
was a perilous undertaking-, but after many attempts he suc- 
ceeded in placing a long pole from a crevice in the rock to its 
mouth and thus entered the cave. The roof of the cave was 
vaulted and the top about twenty feet high. As far as he 
could judge the bottom was about twenty by thirty feet. The 
floor of the cavern, throug-hout its whole extent, was one 
mass of human bones. Skulls and other bones were ming-led 
in the utmost confusion. To what depth they extended he 
was unable to decide, but they dug to the depth of three or 
four feet in ever}- part of the cave and found only bones. The 
remains of thousands of human beings muse have been depos- 
ited there; how or by whom or for what purpose it was im- 
possible to conjecture." 

It has often been asked: "What became of the mound 
builders? Why did they leave the fertile valleys of the Mis- 
sissippi?" To these questions there can by no certain ans- 
wer given. These people were here for untold ages and from 
them probably came the savage Indians who were here when 
this country was first seen b}' the white race. The mound 
builders who came a long time ago from Asia, very much im- 
proved the Indians who were, no doubt, in touch with all sec- 
tions of this country. After a long period of time, while the 
foreigners were cultivating- and improving- the country, in- 
dustriously laboring- to raise cereals and vegetables, prepar- 
ing their homes and building the countless thousands of 
mounds, there may have come to them an epidemic ol sick- 
ness or a great plague such as has destroyed many millions 
of people in China and India at times, and destroyed them or 
so weakened them that the}' may have fallen an easy prey to 
the savage horde who have ever been jealous of any improve- 
ments which would take away the forest or drive the game 
away; and were destroyed by them or driven out of this 



PIONEER HISTORY OF INDIANA. (,29 

country. It is not reasonable to suppose they would have 
voluntarily left their homes and this fertile country and the 
thousands of mounds that they had spent ages in preparing 
for sepulchers for their dead. 

In many of the State museums there are large numbers 
of vessels, vases and trinkets which have been taken from 
these mounds in various places. All of them, no doubt, were 
made for the purpose of being placed in sepulchers with the 
remains of those buried there. In these vases, trinkets of 
various sorts were found, some of them no doubt, were used 
for tools, made of rock, bones and copper. Others were or- 
naments, such as bands of copper for the wrist and for the 
head, to hold the hair in place; also small bands for the 
fingers. Round balls of white stone, about the size of bil- 
liard balls were found which were used in games, also large 
copper balls that in size and appearance were much the same 
as sling balls used b}' the ancient Grecians in war. In mak- 
ing the vases they used a cement which was equal to the 
best Portland and it is supposed they ground the shells 
found in rivers and lakes with some other ingredient which 
made a beautiful white color with tints of various hues. 
Some of these vases were made of man}' colors; the main 
body black and the neck white and others with rings of 
white and black, all no doubt made by some coloring material 
put in the cement. The mound builders used the bones of 
the deer, elk and antelope to make these ornaments. Why 
they did not use the horn and strong bone of the buffalo for 
that purpose and to make their tools is unexplained. 

East of Kansas there have been no buffalo bones found 
in the many ancient mounds which have been examined. It 
is contended by some ethnologists and other scientists that 
there were no buffaloes in the Mississippi valley at 
the time of the mound builders, and at the time of the 
discovery of America, by Columbus, the range of these 
animals to the east was not so extensive as it was at a later 
period. From reading the reports of Marquette and others 
from 1680 up to 1700 it is found they contend the buffalo had 
not long been far east of the prairies of Illinois and their farther 



6"J0 PIONEER HISTORY OF INDIANA. 

eastern inhabitation about the foot hills of the Alleg-hanj' 
mountains was long after this date. It is doubted if the wild 
buffalo were ever on the Atlantic coast. The buffalo or bunch 
g-rass which grows so well in the northwest and cures upon 
the ground a perfect hay which will keep the stock in good 
condition the season through. ma}' be the solution of this mat- 
ter, as it was the chief food of the buffalo. This grass does 
not grow to any extent east of Kansas. In the Dakotas the 
mound builders made roads from one mound to another, 
paved with the leg bones of the buffalo. McAdams, in a very 
concise work on this subject says: "These paths were made 
of the leg bones of the buffalo which were very heavy and 
strong. The bones were laid side by side touching each 
other and imbedded in the ground so that only their top sur- 
faces were exposed and on the gentle slopes of the prairies 
for miles away, we could plainl}' discern the slim, white line 
from one mound to another. These bones had been placed 
neatly and with some precision and were fully imbedded in 
the hard earth which was a sort of a cement of gravel soil. 
One of these paths was nearly a mile in length and as we 
walked over it there was a metallic ring to our foot steps and 
not a single bone was misplaced." 

The mounds were scattered all over the United States, 
from the northwest to the southeast and from the southwest 
to the northeast. Most of them are built in bottom lands or 
in the edge of the bottoms adjoining the hills and on all 
sides are about as steep as the earth would lie except one, 
where the laborers carried up the material. 

Some of the mounds are of immense size. The one in 
Madison county, Illinois, at Kahoka, near St. Louis, is one 
hundred feet high and covers sixteen acres of ground. The 
old stone fort in Clark county, which is situated near Charles- 
ton and just above the mouth of Fourteen Mile creek, which 
forms the western wall and the Ohio river which makes the 
eastern wall is two hundred and eighty feet above the river 
bed. 

The great majority of the emblematic mounds are in the 
state of Wisconsin and in the northwest. There are some in 



PIONEER HISTORY OF INDIANA. 631 

the central and southern states. One of the most unusual is 
in Adams Count}', Ohio, and known as the Serpent mound, 
beinij- in the form of a serpent swallowing- or devourinj^ some 
object. This mound is one thousand feet long- and must have 
been, as well as the old stone fort, built for a place of defense 
or securit)' from some enemy. Around the g-reat Kahoka 
mound there are hundreds of smaller ones and all over the 
American bottoms many mounds exist or have been leveled 
down. 

The site of the city of St. Louis when Laclede located it 
was dotted all over with mounds. They are in evidence in 
all sections of Indiana. Some of them cover several acres. 
There is one very large one about two miles west of Peters- 
burg, Indiana. At a point on the Wabash river, some miles 
above its mouth in Posey County, Indiana, the mound knowm 
as Bone Bank or Bone Bluff which at one time was an im- 
mense burial ground covering man)' acres of territory prob- 
ably w^as an island. As yet there is evidence that the river 
or one body of it ran on both sides of this mound as what is 
left of the bank slopes gradually back to a slough. The 
river has for ages been gradually undermining the mound 
and the larger portion of it has fallen into the water and the 
bones and vases which were in abundance have been carried 
away with the current. Since the recollection of men living 
near this great cemetery, the river has cut away several 
hundred feet of the bank. Many very fine vases have been 
found at this place. In making these burial vases work of a 
real artistic nature has been shown. On some shown the 
author b}"^ Colonel Owen at Indianapolis some years ago, 
when he was state geologist, the features of human being 
were carved or engraved and the work was so well done that 
the faces showed an animated human expression. 

While gazing on these artificial hills and structures, in 
fancy one can see the long lines of basket laden aborigines, 
who in the far past, bygone ages, slowly heaped up these 
thrones of earth for some prince of their race and the mind 
wonders what bloody scenes of carnage to savage supersti- 
tion of old, may not have enacted there, countless centuries 



632 PIONEER HISTORY OF INDIANA. 

before Columbus plowed the wild waves of an unknown 
ocean in search of an unknown country. 

There are two points about which there can be but little 
controversy: 

First. — The mound builders were a very different race to 
what the white people found here. Instead of depending- 
upon the chase thej' were farmers and made their living by 
industriously working the soil which yielded them rich har- 
vest for their labor. The}' not only cultivated the soil of the 
great Mississippi valley but they were in vast numbers in the 
far west and in the arid soil of that dry region brought the 
waters of the different rivers to their aid in irrigating their 
crops, by thousands of miles of large and small ditches made 
and used by them for that purpose. 

Second. — The great mounds were built as sepulchers for 
their dead. Not, as has been claimed by some, for idolatrous 
worship. They intended to put their loved ones away so that 
nothing could ever disturb them and not like the Indian who 
swings his dead to the limbs of trees or puts them upon scaf- 
folds to be blown awa}- as he had no abiding home, but like 
the wild Arab when chooses, folds his tent and steals away> 

THE END. 



INDEX. 



Abbot. Governor — 

Superinteudeut at Vlncennei ... 28 

Koos lo 1 »etroit 2S 

Adams, John — 

Coimuissiouer of Treaty of Paris 67 

Anderson, Bailey 2U0 

Army Uoster, Battle of ' Tippe- ~ 

canoe . . 279-308 

Anderson, Robert — 

Pioneer and Indian Fighter . . . 229 

Anderson, Sam o.'io 

Anderson, Watt *, 231 

Alley, Doddridge — 

treed for a |)aiitlier by own dogg.423 

Astor, John Jacob 475 

Alexander, Jessey .' '4ST 

Asiatic Cl¥)lera .' ." '534 

Adams, Dr. J. R '571 

Adklns, Andrew — 

Jerry Sullivan and others In raid 
on bridge watches at Dongola 

-, bridge 537 

Bowman, Captain Joseph — 

company commander 27 

captures Caliokla "ji 

commanded rear guard 30 

plans to blow up forts 45 

confers: with Hamilton '. 50 

Bayley, Lieut — 

leads attack on Ft. Sackvllle. . . 4.'^ 

service at Ft. Sackvllle 57 

Bosseron, MaJ. Francis — 

dug un buried ammunition 44 

with Helm at capture of boats 52 
letter to Winthrop Sargent... 91 
address to Winthrop Sargent. . . 92 
Brashear, Lieut. Richard — 

commands garrison Post Vin- 

cennes 57 

Buckongehelas — 

great chief of the Delawares. . 65 
Butler, Gen. Richard — 

makes treaty with Indians .... 85 
Byrd, (apt. Wm. — 

Secretary of Northwestern ter- 

rltor.v 103 

Baker, Gov. Conrad — 

letter to author 147 

Beaujean, Captain 151 

Barnard, James — 

in boat tl>.'ht at Diamond Island.ino 

Bee Hunting 33fi 

Bonty, Jacob — 

Built water mill 324 

Boone, Daniel — 

I presents gun to Chief Treat- 
way 374 

Bartholomew, Col.-^ 

expedition against Indians ....374 

wounded at Tippecanoe 268 

Berry, Lieut. — 



killed In battle 26ft 

Boyd. Col. John P. — 

brings 4th Inf. to Ft. Knox 253 

commands brigade 254 

Blackford, Isaac — 

elected Speaker of House of Rep- 
resentatives 393 

Boundary and Area of State. '.*.'. '.395 
Bank of Vlncennes, with Branches 

I-ails 40^ 

Boone, Ratlifife — 

becomes governor 404 

Burr, Aaron — 

his conspiracy 471 

Bears, a desperate battle wlth!!!474 

Bailey, Sergeant 477 

Battle, by bears, panthers and 

„ 'leer 480 

Brave women ^^^u 

Bo.nd of Internal Improvements-^ 

tirst meeting 535 

Roys and Bear Cubs 559 

Beard, John 50] 

Barrett. John W '. 56« 

Cadillac, La Mott— 

authorized by Count Ponchar- 
train to erect frontier forts ... 19 
Clark, Gen. Geo. Rogers — 

horn .Nov. 19, 1752 24 

otfieei' In Dunmore's war ...!!! 24 

first visit to Kentuckv '.'.'. 2."; 

commands expedition against 
Kaskaskia nnd Vlncennes .... 27 

captures Kaskaskia 35 

captures Vlncennes 37-52 

plans to capture Detroit 59 

drew plans of Louisville 60 

commanded expedition against 

Detroit Qi 

let out of service '.'.'.'. 62 

marched troops to Vlncennes...' 63 

at Vlncennes ^4 

makes treaties with Indians. .65-66 
achievements secured Northwest 

Territory to United States 67 

died at home of his sister 68 

Campbell, Col. — 

sent letters to Clark 28 

Chaplain. Lieut. — 

with Brashear at Vlncennes... 57 
Colbert. Scotsman — 

commanded Indians 60 

Craig, John, Jr. — 

commissioner to purchase sup- 
plies 64 

Croghan, Mrs. Wm. — 

General Clark's sister 68 

Cutler, Rev. Manasseh — 

agent of Massachusetts Co 74- 

drafts ordinance for government 
Of Northwest Territory and se- 



-634 



PIONEEE HISTORY OF INDIANA. 



cures its passage by Congress. . . 75 
Commissioners wlio executed deed 
for Virginia to the Nortliwest 

Territory 72 

Samuel Hardy, Arthur Lee, 
.Tamp'=; Monroe, Thos. Jeflferson. 
•Committee Reporting an Ordinance 

for Is'orthwest Territory 73 

Thos. Jefferson, t'has of Ohio, 
Howie of Rhode Island. 
Coclcrum, Wm. R. — 

purchased a steamboat 17S 

Committee to Address President of 

United States 252 

Samuel Scott, Alexander Doven, 
Luke Decker, Ephriam Jordon, 
Daniel McClure, Capt. Walter 
Wilson. 

Clark, Major Masten G 200 

Committee to Select State Capitol 404 
Congress authorizes a grant of land 

to the Wabash and Erie Canal. 425 
Chapter on Natural History of Anl 
mals and Birds that were in In- 
diana 427-457 

•Caldwell, John 477 

Chappell, Capt. J. E 488 

C^o^\■, James 556 

Coburn, General John 521 

Cockrum, Col. J. W 566 

•Crittenden, Genl. T. L 60<( 

Choctaw. John 619 

DeVincennes, Francis Morgan — 
for whom post Vlncennes was 

named 21 

killed 1736 bv Indians i:i 

DeLafont, Dr. — 

accompanied Father Glbault ... 32 

DuQuesne, Governor 22 

T)e.iean, Philip — 

British magistrate of Detroit... 53 
Dalton, Captain — 

artillery officer 64 

■Denny, Captain — 

present when treaty Is taade ... 66 
Decker, Luke — 

member of legislative council . .2^!4 

signs request to president 252 

Diamond Island Boat Fight with 

Indians — The killed 109 

Geo. Talbert, Thos. West. Mrs. 
Thos. West. David Hope, Mrs. 
David Hope. 
Davidson, Jasper N. — 

gives valuable data . I'i2 

^avis, Joel 202 

Davis, Mai'or Joseph II 267 

killed at Tippecanoe 268 

Dubois, ("apt. Toussant— - 

commaiKis Harrison scouts ....259 
Delegates who formed the firi?t con- 
stitution 390-8fll 

Davis, <ieorge — 

escaped from IiJdians -• - ' 

Davis, Nancy — 

raising geese 501 

Decker, .John 573 

Edeline, I^ouls — 

si'rns address to Winthrop Sar- 
gent 91 

Kmbree, Captain D. F 128 

Ernest. Ell. Scout 220 

Evans. Col. Robt. M. — 

commands Rangers 370 

mentioned 371 

"Early Days around Sprlnkleburg, 



now Ne\\burg 502 

Embree, Gen. Wm. — 571 

Education Committee 458 

John Badallet, David Hart, Wra. 
Martin, John Welch, Thomas C. 
Sereal, Daniel J. Casswell, John 
Todd. 

Foote, Ziba — 

drowned in Foote's pond 128 

Fauchit, Mr 152 

Franklin, Benjamin — 

commissioner of treaty of Paris 67 

Fuqua, John — 

scout of Harrison's 176-224 

Flax Industries 327 

Falls. Robt. — 

built horse mill 324 

Flatboatlng 508 

Glbault, Father M. — 

village priest 30 

favored the Americans 31 

emmlssary of Clark's 32 

George, Captain — 

commands at Kaskaskia 57 

Gamelln, Antolne — 

special envoy to Indians 80 

submits his report 87 

address to Winthrop Sargent ... 92 

Gladwin, Major — 

experience with Pontiac 88 

Gamelln, Pierre 91-92 

Gamelln, Paul 92 

Grlscom, Mary — 

killed by Indians 108 

Gibson, Gen. John — 

Secretary of Ind. territory ....130 

letters to Capt. Hargrove 203 

acting governor 247 

sketch of his life 377 

Griffith. .John — 

territorial judge 130 

Genet, M 152 

Glrty. Simon, captures Richard Rue 
arid Geo. Holeman 157 

Greenup. Col. — 

father of Mrs. Larkin 202 

Gulllck, Mrs. Nancy — 

describes pioneer cooking 321 

Griffev. Jonas and Casaway — 

believed in witchcraft 339 

Gurney. .Tames and Son — 

killed bv panther near Velpin. 486-7 

Girl, killed bv panthers 503 

Grlgsbv, fight with bear 506 

Gavltt, Smith 617 

Hamilton, Lieut. Governor Henry — 

recaptures Vlncennes 35 

ordered by Clark to surrender 

garrison 47 

letters to Clark 48 

conference with Clark 49 

articles of capitulation 51 

Henry, Gov. Patrick — 

approves Clark's plan of cam- 
paign 27 

Informed of Clark's success 35 

Helm, Captain Leonard — 

company commander 27 

commands post Vlncennes 33 

wins friendship of Tobacco's 

Bon 34 

surrenders fort to Hamilton ... 36 
prisoner during Clark's attack. 44 

present at conference 4* 

captures British boats 52 

Superintendent of Indian affairs 67 



PIONEER HISTORY OF iXDIANA. 



chastises De'Tware Imliaiis ... 58 

Harroil, Capt. Wm. — 

< aptain in t'larks coininand... 27 

llenrv, Moses- - 

[>:i()-er in foit Siclivi!!e 43 

appointed Indian agent 57 

Iloiiiy. Mi-s- 

conveys news to Captain Helm. 43 

Hav. Major — 

Biitisli Snpt. Indian affairs... 40 
reltiiijed by Claric 50 

Harrison, Cov. Benjamin — 

{jovernor of ^■iI•sinia 62 

siirnei of Declaration of Inde- 
pendence — fatlier of Gen'l Har- 
rison 240 

Holder. Col. .Tolin — 

commander at post Vincennes . . 04 

Harmor, General — 

stops courts from granting lands 70 
consults with Cen. St. Clair... 93 
leaves Fort Washinu'ton with 
army 94 

Hamtriniflt. MaJ. .T. F. — 

commands at Vincennes 80 

sends (lamelin's report to St. 

Clair 87 

citizens address complimentary 

letter '. 91 

authorized to enlist malitia.... 9" 

marches up Wabash river 9.*> 

roinniands Ft. Wayne as colonel . 101 

Harrison, Hen Wm. Henry — 

elected to ronirrcss . .' lO.*? 

Indiana territory formed 104 

appointed governor 13.S 

issues proclamation 144 

letters to Captain Hargrove 203 

place of birth 240 

Hardin. .Toel — 

captured bv Indians at Ilonev 
Sl)ri'v_'s, Pike Co .174 

Hoiu'bins. .Tesse 175 

Harrison, Otho , . . 180 

Hargrove, .Jacob W. — 

gave author valuable data 20P, 

markins: wolves 499 

Hargrove. Col. Wm. — 

receives orders and Instructions 
from General Harrison 202-220 

Hosne. Sergeant 220 

Hathaway, .Tohn — 

built flouring mill at Wins- 
low 324-584 

Hutson, Familv — 

ki'W'd bv Indians 339 

Hopkins, General — 

airiw mutinies 362 

Harrison. Christopher — 

elected IJeut. governor 392 

Hendricks, Wm. — 

elocte'l to Congress ,'592 

elected governor 404 

message to leglsl«ture recom- 
mending Internal Improvements. 42.'> 

Home Defender 406 

Hoosfor 408 

Hunting wolves 499 

I-Tn"ting deer KO-l 

Hnr-'in. Steve 572 

Hunter. Rev. Hiram — 

releasing kidnaped negroes .'>94 

ITnnover. .1. T 602 

Hanover. .7. T., letter 612 

Tn"is. Mr.— 

receives letter from .TefTerson ... 67 



Inde'ituie Papers 142-145 

Joseph Barton, Thomas Turner, 
(■eo. lOudicijii, .lot" Bij.,ce, 1 .1 I.,. 
Boswoll. .Noah Freeman, Mary 
Ann, .Tasou Brown, .lames H irt- 
wel'. (lias. l!o;)e. Thomas Tru- 
man. .Toseph Forth, Thos. Agne>v. 

Indianapolis — 

selected as location of capitol . 405 

Indians killed near Knoxville In 
Dubois Co 498-9 

Internal Improvements — 

work done, with cost 538 

Indian barbarity 555 

■lefferson, Hon Tliomas — 

writes Mr. Innis of Kentucky.. 67 
executes deed of conveyance from 
Virginia to Northwest territory 72 

Jay, John — 

commissioner of treaty of Paris 67 

Johnson, James 92 

Johnson, David — 

great and noted hunter 107 

meets Joel Hardin 174 

exT>erieiu-e with tanned shoes.. 332 

has battle with bear 490 

trnnsfornied hog 4(;o 

Jennings. Gov. Jonathan — 

delegate to congress 234 

secures memorial for legisla- 
ture 389 

elected governor ^92 

t.p-...rp to ipn^islature 393 

sounds first note for Internal Im- 

firovements 393 
pglslature In extra session. .. .404 

Governor and Thos. Oglesby . . .479 

.Tr>"f \ .T •■ 'PS 477 

Judson, John 573 

Jones, Col. J. G 611 

,T ,' n ,v'. '-pn Sidney A 609 

Kennedy, Patrick — 

Ounrtermaster 57 

Knox, Gen. Henry — 

^■p..i-pfirv of war 95 

Kimball. Jesse 216 

builds witer mill 323 

TC- A • I.. T?,i.T,.(^ 324 

Kirk, Mason — 

built tiouring mill on Patoka 
river 324 

T^i 1"^nt"Er np<rvoes 562 

Kidnaping of Rube 5R2 

Knowlton, Mr 595 

LaSalle. Robt. D. — 

explorations on Wnbash and 

other rivers and lakes 19 

French claims based on his dls- 
(■. ivories 22 

British partisan officer 43 

pei-mttted to reenter fort .... 40 

T^a grass. Col. — 

dug no buried ammunition .... 44 
T.U'> TTo'.ii at Cloture of boats. . 52 
commander at Post VInrennes. 70 
claims authority to dispose of 
public lands 90 

I,ocVorv, Col. — 

kl"pd bv Indians nt mouth of 
TiOckrev creek. Ohio river 61 

Lee, Oen. Arthur — 

makes treaty with Indians 6.% 

T.if-.vottp. ';pnpral 151 

Lurnus. Col. .Tohn 151 

TiHTure. Jean — 



636 



PIO.^EKR HI jTORY of INDIANA. 



captured by Indians 171 

Leathers, Win 177 

Lemaster, Conrad 17<» 

Luveiiie, Interpreter 181 

Larkin Family — 

Larkiu killed and family cap- 
tured near Otwell, Pike Co 201 

Loom and Whip saw 3i;9 

Lincoln, Abraham — 

burial of his mother 331 

Logan, Indian Chief- — 

historical sketch 378 

Lilly, Wm. H. — 

elected auditor of state 39 1 

Lane, Daniel C. — 

elected treasurer or state 397 

Lamb, Staunton ■i'^8 

Lane, Ceneral Joseph 511 

Land Sharks yj-'^ 

Land speculators 527 

I>acev, Major M. M 606 

Mather, Rev. Cotton 22 

Mont.£;omery, Captain John — 

commands company 27 

carries dispatcnes 33 

trustee of town of Clarksville. 72 
Myres, Wm. — 

government express to Clark. 52 

Jle nbeis of Cou.uil 103 

Henrv Vanderburg, Robt. Oliver, 
James Flnley, Jacob Barnett, 
David Vance. 
Members of Legislative Council and 

Representatives Dissolved 234 

Solomon Manwaring, Thos. Down, 
Harvev Heath, Wm. Prince, Luke 
Decker, Richard Rue, Ephriam 
Overman, James Beggs, John 
Work, Moses Hoggett, Gen. W. 
Johnson, John Johnson, John 
Hndden. 

Mayhall, Jonas 173 

Miley, Henry 181-324 

Martin, Jackson 185 

Montgomery, Isaac — 

mentioned 217 

builds horse mill 323 

makes speech 522 

Milling Industries 323 

Mllev, Henry — 

built horse mill near Peters- 
burg 324 

Marriman Family — 

killed by Indians 340 

Murtree, Miss — 

sold to Canadian officer by In- 
dians 375 

Montgomery, "Purty" old Tom — 

noted Indian fighter 229 

Miller, Lieut. Col. James — 

captures battery at Lundy's 

Lane 257 

McMahan, I>ient.^ — 

killed In battle 268 

Milk Sickness 401 

Miller, .John 475 

McFadln, Andrew — 

horse pored by deer 482 

Malott, Elijah — 

plavs a prank 487 

Malott, Hiram 488 

Malott, Resin 488 

McDonald, .John and James 496 

Michigan Nullficatlon 518 

Mexican War — 

Indiana officers 551 



Montgomery, Harvey and Joseph — 
liberatiiig I'ete 568 

Mounts, Mathias 570 

McDermitt, Pat — 

ill b.itiie with wild hogs 584 

Mc(;regory, Andrew 504 

McMakln,' Col. W 594 

Mason, Senator 598 

Mci oiloui;h. Dr. Samuel 602 

Miler, Capt. A 613 

.Mc>_ oi u.Kiv. i^ev. T. B til.'i 

McClure, Miss 616 

Neeley, Gen. John I. — 

ei ues valuable data from 

Greenway 128 

visits Doyle's grave at bluffs.. 128 

Noble, James — 

elected first U. S. Senator 397 

New, Kobt. C. — 

elected secretary of state 397 

Noble, Noah, Governor — 

suggests that no internal im- 
provements should be commenced 
except such as were of public 
utility 534 

Noble act of returning Tippecanoe 
Soldiers 471 

Opposers of Suspension of 6th Ar- 
ticle of Ordina ice of 1787 ... 136 
John Beggs, David Floyd, Charles 
Beggs, Abram Little, Robt. - 
Robertson, John Owens, James 
Beggs. 

Owen, Robert — 

purchases New Harmony from 
Frederick Rapp 386 

Owen, Col. Wm. — 

killed in battle 270 

Old Man, dressed In skins 484 

Oliphant, Col. Wm. A 55i 

I'oiitiac, Indian Chief — 

loyal to French 22 

assassinated opposite St. Louis. 23 

Parsons, Samuel — 

makes treaty with Indians .... 65 

Putnam, Gen. Rufus — 

organizes Massachusetts Co 74 

Prisoners, rescued by Geenway 

party 108-113 

James Grlscom, Rachel Griscom, 
Mrs. Ceo. Talbert and little son, 
James Hope, Jane Hope. 

Pride, Woolsey — 

settled- at White Oak Springs, 

1800 169 

mentioned 181 

Page, Ben, scout 226 

Posey, Gov. Thomas — 

appointed governor 1813 377 

message to legislature 388 

defeated in race for governor . . . 391 

Parke, Benjamin — 

appointed member of Supreme 
Court 232 

Pioneer Schools 458-468 

Petersburg, early days 484 

Panther kills men of surveying 
party 488 

Pottawattamie Indians moved west 
of Mississippi river 540 

Prophet. George H 541 

Prodigal's Return 556 

Peed, Solomon 556 

Posev, Dr. John and Rev. Eldridge 
Hopkins 574 

Paddy Calvert, Bob Calvert, Joseph 



PIONEER HISTORY OF INDIANA. 



637 



<'arter. John Armstroiifj, have 
battle to rescue the tJotiiaril boys 

from kidnapers 592 

Dr. John I'osey and Ira Caswell . 591' 
Rockhblave, (Jovenior — 

coniinaiided at Kaskaskia 28 

Roj,'(M>, < aptain John- — 

commanded armed galley 38 

has fliarjre of British prisoners. 53 
Randolph, Hon. John — 

a tribute to den. I'lark 54 

onposes slavery in Northwest ter- 

ritorv 135 

Robb, .Major David- 
makes Held notes of the graves 

of liyle and Koote 128 

visits Gov. Harrison I'og 

builds water mill ;^24 

Rope walk :v^-i 

Russell. Col 375 

Ranlolpli, Thomas — 

killed in battle of Tippecanoe. . 234 
Rapp, Frederick — 

fouiuler of Harmon.v society ...385 
Representatives elected to Senate 

and House 392-393 

Ray. James R. — 

elected governor 425 

recommended internal improve- 
ments 426 

Robinson. JTon. A. L 614 

Robinson, Wood, Sr 618 

St. Auge — 

a commandant at Vincennes ... 21 
Sl> .1. Captain W. — 

British prisoner 43 

Shell)y, Capt. — 

at Wea Indian towns 57 

St. Clair, Gen. Arthur — 

a ■■■ ny ()•• Northwest territory 76 
visits western part of territory'. 80 

at Kaskaskia 88 

transfers authority to Winthrop 

S • "I 93 

commands 3,000 troops 95 

ni:' • ' es to Miami town 9(5 

army defeated 98 

resigns commission 99 

Saiiieni. Winthrop — 

sent to Vincennes by St. Clair. 88 
P'psidod over courts at S'in- 

cennes 89 

governor and comraander-ln-chleif 90 
i-,.i civcs :ii|.|rpss from citizens .. 91 

' ^ answer 93 

Bcott, General — 

secretaiy of war sends letter. . 9." 
expedition against Indians .... 97 
p-rular troops under 

Wnvne 100 

fit. Clalr, Arthur, Jr.— 

' ') ' ','ress lO."? 

Smith, Col. John l.il 

Sebnstlan, Frederlrk — 

killed by Indians kV" 

Sill \ lit ' U-iici-al 204 

Sprinkle. Major John L'20 

mentioned 481 

S.'v.r-'-, J. .!..>_ 

flrst permanent settler In Glb- 

S..-1 ,o"-'ty ir,.- 

mentloned 217 

Setioedo ■ n. Intllan chief 2"_'»( 

Sbofmnklng 321 

Stnckv. Jncoli — 

b'lilt grist mill near Petersburg. 324 



j Standlsh, Miles — 

court martiala soldiers 337 

Slmerall, Col. — 

on an Indian campaign 366 

: Spencer, Capt. Spelr — 

I receiveii orders from commauder- 

In-cblef 263 

' killed at Tippecanoe 268 

Stone Kater, Indian clilef, a lead- 
er of Tippecanoe Indians 269 

Smith. O. II. — 

writes letter 411 

Shooting matches 493 

atnle Bank and Branches 520 

State's financial ruin 536 

State prison 543 

State Blind Asylum 54^ 

State Asylum for Deaf and Dumb. 544 

State Hospital for Insane 545 

State Library 546 

State Educational Institutions. .. 547 

Sawyer 570 

Slave hunt at Kirks mill bridge... 579 

Stubblefield, Joseph 584 

The Grand Door, Tobaccos Son — 

a I'lankasbavv chief 33 

Captain Helm wins his friend- 
ship 34 

declares friendship for Big 

Knife 41 

offers Clark 100 warriors 44 

shares prison with Capt. Helm. 45 

warns Delaware Indians 49 

Todd, General John — 

county lieutenant. Northwest ter- 
ritory 69 

issues proclamation 70 

organizes courts 89 

Trustees of Clarksville 72 

Wm. Fleming, John Edwards, 
John Campbeil. !)aniel Walker. 
Abraham Chaplin, Joint Ballev, 
Robt. Todd. Wm. Clark. 

Territorial Court 77 

>-; ■ ■.<>' 'lo'de'i Parsons, .Tames 
Mitchell Varnum, John (Meave 
Simms. 
Trappers and Hunters at Coffee 
Island. Wabash river rescue 
prisoneis from Indians ....105-129 
Jinnps Crppn'vav. Thos. Dovie, 
Stephen Murtree. Pierre I>ev.tn. 
Truxtui. CoiHino i ne-- 

c-iotnres French vessels 152 

Tllton. Paul 181 

Tii)to->. .Totin — 

rpcpipts to Capt. Hargrove for 

ai'inni'lition 202 

Tn,i.,v. ZckT'v .^62 

, Tipton, Mai. John— 

curt reply to Gen Evans 370 

TP'ioi-ts to Cov Gibson 372 

Treaty Commission 377 

Gph. Harrison, Gen. Cass, Gen. 
Adair. 
Thomas, .Jesse B. — 

e'l'del ((> ci-'urpss 232 

Tecumsph. Indian chief 240 

historical skptcb 311 

TbP Pront'Pt 

Tpciimsph's brotiipr 240 

commnnip"! Indians at battle of 
Tlnppcnnop 264 

Taylor. Ma j. Waller 260 

......tpi "■ t T'. S Senator .....^97 

Trial and Execution of white men 



a J 



n 



638 



PIONEER HISTORY OF INDIANA. 



for murdering Indians ...412-423 

Vigo, Francis — 

tenders his services to Clark. . . 37 
addresses Winthrop Sargent ... 92 
member of public committee ...252 

Vanderburg, Plenry — 

member of legislative council.. 103 
territorial judge 130 

Vanorsdell, Samuel 144 

A'aught, .Tean 475 

Washington, (Jen. George 22 

Williams, Captain — 

commanded post of Kaskaskia.. 33 
kills and captures Indians .... 51 
conducts prisoners to Kentucky 53 

Wilkerson, Cenern' — 

conducts expedition 9fi 

punishes Indians 97 

Wayne. Oen. Anthony — 

promoted Ma,ior-< General 9!) 

combiied army march 100 

viftorions b.qtt'e with Indians.. 101 
destroved Indian town near 

Warrick, Capt. — 



Owensville 229 

killed at Tippecanoe 268^ 

Witchcraft and Witches 338 

Whiting, Capt. C. C 338 

Wilson, Capt. Walter — 

bears message to Tecumseh ...247 
Wells, Major General — 

commands Kentucky troops... 263 
White. Loon, Indian Chief — 

in battle of Tippecanoe 269 

Winnamac. Indian Chief — 

in battle of Tippecanoe 269 

Wounded deer goring oxen 481 

Wild hogs 498- 

Wolves scalped bv Peter Furguson 

and David Bilderback ."iOO 

Walker. General ^.529 

WaHace, David, governor 536 

Wilson. Rev. Lewis .'i57 

Warrick. .John, Sr 572: 

Willis, Bev 584 

Zc.or, .Jacob — 

has fight with panther 507 



ERRATA. 
Pape 102— 3rrl line read: "Commanded by Capt. Potter. Secretary of" 
Northwest Territory. Winthrop Sargent," etc. 

Page 183 — 4th line from the bottom, add to line the words "side the." 



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